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Injured Tottenham Hotspur defender Destiny Udogie took to social media to voice his frustration during the 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United.
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Newcastle came from behind to win 2-1 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with goals from Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak cancelling out Dominic Solanke’s early header. But it was Newcastle’s equaliser scored by Gordon that was a particular point of contention in the match.
The goal came about after Joelinton intercepted a pass from Lucas Bergvall before finding Bruno Guimaraes who slipped in Gordon to make it 1-1. But replays showed that the ball hit off Joelinton’s arm to win back possession of the ball.
The decision to let the goal stand angered the Spurs players and head coach Ange Postecoglou on the touchline. Meanwhile Udogie, who was watching the match on TNT Sports, took to social media platform Snapchat to post his thoughts.
“VAR, what a joke,” the 22-year-old left-back wrote.
VAR checked the goal and allowed it on the basis that Joelinton’s arm accidentally made contact with the ball in a natural position. As Joelinton neither scored nor assisted the goal, Spurs’ argument was weakened further.
Explaining the decision, the Premier League Match Centre stated: “The referee’s call of goal was confirmed by VAR, who checked for a potential handball by Joelinton in the build-up and deemed that his arm was by his side, in a natural position and the contact was accidental.”
And Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe felt VAR and the officials were simply following the rules.
“I can’t sit here and lie and say I haven’t seen it because I have,” Howe said. “It definitely hit Joelinton’s arm, I can give you that as well.
“But I’m not in control in the referee’s decision. I believe his arm is down in a natural position and I think the referee and VAR have followed the rules and protocols that are in place so that’s why it is given.”
A fifth successive Premier League win keeps Newcastle fifth in the table after 20 matches but they are now just one point behind Chelsea in fourth. Next up is the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg at Arsenal on Tuesday night.