Roberto De Zerbi believes the match officials were desperate to lay down the law during Tottenham Hotspur's clash against Leeds United after Arsenal's controversial win over West Ham.
Roberto De Zerbi has suggested that the match officials were on tenterhooks during Tottenham Hotspur's draw to Leeds United, having stolen the headlines following Arsenal's win over West Ham.
The Hammers were controversially denied a late equaliser at the London Stadium on Sunday afternoon after Pablo was adjudged to have fouled David Raya in the build-up. Chris Kavanagh initially awarded West Ham the goal, before the Video Assistant Referee, Darren England, and his assistant, Akil Howson, quickly intervened.
Five minutes and 17 replays later, those at Stockley Park sent the on-field referee to take a second look at the incident on the pitchside monitor. Then, after another lengthy review, Kavanagh eventually overturned the original call and awarded the Gunners a free-kick.
Although the Premier League fielded a new team of match officials for the Lilywhites' clash against Daniel Farke's side, De Zerbi claimed he could feel they were feeling the pressure. There were numerous stoppages in play throughout the game, one of which was a controversial offside.
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During the 13 minutes of stoppage time, the Italian was booked for leaving the technical area in reaction to a strong challenge on James Maddison, who had just taken to the field for the first time since he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament during a pre-season friendly game back in August.
Speaking to reporters after the game, De Zerbi accused the match officials of being abnormally agitated. The Tottenham boss said: "The first minute until the end of the game, the referee went to me, ‘if you go out, yellow card,’ and I think they were not calm today.
"Maybe they suffered the pressure of yesterday the West Ham-Arsenal game and VAR. For sure, we suffer the pressure today for the speed of the ball, for the order of the pitch, and we didn’t play with patience on the ball.
"Frenetic, and we were rushed, but also the referee was not calm," added De Zerbi, who then offered his verdict on the controversy in east London on Sunday afternoon. The Italian was bemused by the uproar, claiming Pablo had impeded Raya.
De Zerbi said: "I don’t know, I can’t understand the polemic about yesterday VAR because it was a foul, 200 per cent, not 100 per cent if you want to talk about football."
Tottenham were denied a spot-kick when Maddison went down inside the Leeds box, shortly after De Zerbi was cautioned for leaving the technical area. When quizzed on the incident, the Italian said: "No, no, no, I don’t want to come inside the polemic, I didn’t see and I didn’t watch again.
"I don’t know. Ask me a question about football if you want."
On the return of Maddison, De Zerbi said: "Great news for us. He is a different player as a quality, as a guy and he will be I hope crucial for us. Yesterday I spoke with him about his physical condition and about how many minutes he could play. He played more than what he said yesterday. We are happy for him but I think we are in the right way.
"It will be tough until the last minute against Everton, for sure but after the Sunderland game, it was a difficult to imagine ourselves before the last two games to stay up two points of West Ham because I remember very well the game in Sunderland was my first game and we can’t forget what was the situation just 15 days ago.
"We can’t forget after four games in a row we made eight points and we can’t forget Leeds the last defeat in Premier League was the 1st of March at home I think.
"And West Ham they have to also play Leeds at home. I think Leeds they will play like today with the same spirit, with the same qualities because they are doing a great season."
With two games left, Tottenham are two points adrift of West Ham in the bottom three. The Lilywhites must still face Chelsea and Everton; meanwhile, the Hammers are set to play Newcastle United and Leeds.