One of the most important players for Tottenham was Pape Matar Sarr, who scored his first goal for the club. Lisandro Martinez also contributed to the success of the north London team by scoring an own goal. In spite of the fact that Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, and Casemiro of Manchester United all failed to capitalize on significant opportunities, Tottenham was able to seize control of the game in the second half and achieve a crucial victory.
When Alejandro Garnacho’s shot was deflected wide by Cristian Romero’s accidental handball in the first half, the game took a significant turn for the better. Despite the fact that the video assistant referee (VAR) indicated that a penalty may be awarded for the handball that occurred within the area, referee Michael Oliver decided not to give a penalty kick.
This controversial ruling garnered criticism after the match, with a former referee named Dermot Gallagher explaining the difficulties that the video assistant referee has when evaluating handball scenarios. Gallagher expressed skepticism over the probability of an apology being issued by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), who cited the difficulties involved in analyzing criteria such as the position of the arm, the involvement of the shoulder, and the speed of the ball.
Erik ten Hag, the manager of Tottenham, firmly disagreed with Gallagher’s position and expressed his dissatisfaction with the video assistant referee. Putting an emphasis on the impact that the handball had on the direction of the ball and determining that it was obstructive, Ten Hag contended that his team should have been penalized.
These comments were mirrored by Bruno Fernandes, who called for an apology from the chief referee, Jon Moss, and advocated for transparency through post-match interviews.
At the same time that Fernandes questioned the absence of explanations from authorities, he asserted that there should be no excuses for overlooking what he regarded to be an obvious penalty.
Additionally, he advocated for consistent officiating, making reference to the dispute that had occurred prior to the previous week involving Manchester United.
As a result of the consequences from this judgment made by the VAR, concerns over transparency, accountability, and consistency in the implementation of rules have been rekindled.
The issue that surrounds the influence of video assistant referees (VAR) on the outcomes of matches continues to be a prominent topic in the Premier League, despite the fact that calls for post-match explanations and even apologies are gaining steam.
