Newcastle manager Steve Bruce said the stoppage time penalty that allowed his side to snatch a 1-1 draw at Tottenham on Sunday was “nonsense” in another Premier League clash decided by the controversial interpretation of the handball rule.
Spurs had just Lucas Moura’s goal to show for a dominant first-half display and were made to pay when Eric Dier was penalised after a VAR review as the ball brushed his arm in challenge with Andy Carroll.
Callum Wilson converted the penalty with Newcastle’s first shot on target, prompting Jose Mourinho to march down the tunnel before the fulltime whistle had been blown.
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson said on Saturday the spate of penalties being awarded for contentious handball decisions was “ruining” football.
“I can understand why Spurs will go beserk and Roy Hodgson reacted like he did. It is a total nonsense,” said Bruce. “We should be jumping through hoops, but I would be devastated if that was us.”
Mourinho complained that Tottenham were not being treated equally to other clubs after a similar incident when the ball struck Newcastle captain Jamaal Lascelles on the arm was not punished.
“We know there are boxes and boxes, there are boxes for Tottenham and boxes for other teams. So we kept them away from the box and, on one occasion we couldn’t, we lost two points,” said Mourinho.
“We deserve the points and deserve respect. At this moment we don’t have the points and we don’t have the respect.”
For all their complaints, Mourinho’s men will also have to reflect on not taking their chances before the break in front of the watching Gareth Bale.
