Tottenham supporters were left shaking their heads at the London Stadium on Saturday as a potentially season-defining goal was controversially ruled out.
The drama came early in the match, and it quickly became the talking point of the weekend in the Premier League.
Maddison Speaks Out from the Sidelines
Even from the sidelines, injured Spurs midfielder James Maddison made his frustration clear.
The play that sparked outrage saw Cristian Romero nodding home from a Mohammed Kudus corner around the 20-minute mark.
But referee Jarred Gillett immediately flagged for a foul, a decision later confirmed by VAR.
Maddison, sidelined for the season with an ACL injury, didn’t hold back in his reaction.
Taking to X, he criticised the officiating, writing:
“Honestly the referees & VAR have had an absolute shocker of a start to the season.
If that goal is disallowed for a foul you will never ever see a corner be taken without referee blowing for something ever again.”
The Controversial Decision Explained
The disallowed goal stemmed from a push on Spurs’ Kyle Walker-Peters by West Ham’s Micky van de Ven after the corner had been delivered.
VAR upheld the call, citing that the contact affected Walker-Peters’ ability to play the ball.
Players and Pundits React
Romero and other Tottenham players were visibly frustrated, arguing their case directly with Gillett on the pitch.
The Premier League’s Match Centre later clarified the reasoning behind the decision, confirming the contact that led to the no-goal ruling.
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp weighed in, calling the decision “incredibly harsh” and noting that the contact between Walker-Peters and van de Ven appeared minimal, making the disallowing of the goal feel excessive.
What This Means for Spurs
The incident has added fuel to the ongoing debate over VAR in the Premier League.
For Spurs, missing out on an early lead could prove costly in a tightly contested season, especially with Maddison unavailable to influence games on the field.
Fans and players alike will be hoping that future refereeing decisions swing more in their favour.