Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou says it was the “angriest he's ever been in his career” after being left fuming by Newcastle's controversial equalizer in their 2-1 win against Spurs.
Anthony Gordon equalized for Newcastle in the sixth minute after the ball hit Joelinton's hand in the build-up, but VAR allowed the goal to stand because “his hand was by his side, in a natural position and the contact was accidental”.
Former Premier League referee Mike Dean agreed with the decision Football Saturday as Joelinton's alleged handball “did not lead directly to a goal” after the deflection fell to Bruno Guimaraes who then set up Gordon.
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Former Premier League referee Mike Dean insists Newcastle's equalizer at Tottenham was correctly allowed
But a furious Postecoglou was “furious” and “disappointed” without directly commenting on Joelinton's handball call.
Asked in the post-match press conference for his thoughts on the decision to allow Gordon's equaliser, Postecoglou replied: “No, because I know what everyone wants to say, but all I'm going to say is that on any other day, fair and square field, we would have won that game.
“And don't keep asking me about the decision. If you don't have an opinion on it, that's fine. I know what my opinion is and, like I said, if it was the other day and it was even and fair play on the field, we would have won that game.”
He added: “Given everything we've had to go through and the situation we're in right now, to put on a performance like that, I take my hat off to the players. I thought they were outstanding.
“I'm just really, really angry, as angry as I've ever been in my career, that they were denied real rewards for a fantastic performance.”
Asked to clarify if he was angry at the refereeing, he replied: “I know you just want me to say something, but I won't. I think it's clear. Whether people agree with me or not, you think it's not. It's not handball or it was accidental or whatever, I'm just not interested in any of that discussion.
“What I'm saying is, on any given day, with a fair and level playing field and a logical thought process, we would have won that game. That's it. You can make what you want out of it. I don't know what else to say about it.”
The Australian believed his injury-hit side, also hit by illness in the run-up to the game, deserved to win as Alexander Isak's 38th-minute winner for Newcastle made it three defeats in Spurs' last four games.
Alexander Isak scored the winner in the first half for Newcastle
“I'm very proud,” Postecoglou said of the performance. “I'm gutted the boys didn't get the rewards they deserved because we were outstanding. Our football was outstanding against very good opposition in good form.
“It's a game we deserved to win and on any other day we would have won.”
He added: “On Thursday we literally had 11 players ready for training, but I'm not interested in that. What interests me is that the players gave an incredible performance.
“It's unfair to them, more than anything else, that they don't get the rewards they deserve today.”
He also added: “The only thing that stopped us in our tracks was not football.”
Howe: Gordon's goal is a right to win
Anthony Gordon scored the controversial equalizer after Joelinton's alleged handball in the build-up
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe admitted the ball hit Joelinton's hand, but Gordon's goal was correct.
He said of the incident in his post-match press conference: “I can't sit here and lie and say I didn't see it, because I did.
“He definitely hit Joelinton's arm – I can tell you that – but I don't control the referee's decision.
“I believe his hand is down in a natural position. And I think the referee and the VAR followed the rules and protocols that are in place, so that's why it was given.”
Howe also disagreed with Postecoglou's view that Spurs deserved to win.
He said: “I thought we were dominant in the first half today. I thought it could, and maybe should, have been more in that first half.
“Yes, Tottenham played well in the second half and they brought in some quality players and pushed us back at times.
“But we've done enough to cross the line.”