Spurs manager Mourinho wants referees to have final say on VAR calls

Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho reiterated his call for major changes to the use of VAR in the Premier League after a video of him berating the fourth official in a 2-0 victory over Manchester City went viral.

Mourinho and his assistant Joao Sacramento charged towards the fourth official after Raheem Sterling was not shown a second yellow card for what they believed was a dive trying to win City a second penalty on Sunday immediately after Ilkay Gundogan’s spot-kick was saved.

Mourinho was also unhappy at the award of City’s original penalty by VAR and the decision not to change Sterling’s yellow card to a red for his challenge on Dele Alli.

“My reaction was just based on I could watch everything on the screen. So I watch the Dele situation, the penalty, the pretending penalty. I watch everything so that creates emotions,” Mourinho said on Tuesday.

“I went viral for the wrong reasons but that’s the way it is. In contrast to other Europan leagues, referees have been advised not to use pitchside monitors to review their own decisions and are instead overruled by an official watching the game at the league’s VAR hub in London.

A survey released by YouGov on Tuesday showed that 67 per cent of Premier League fans believe VAR has made football less enjoyable, while supporters are also in favour of the referee using the pitchside monitors.

“If the referees are not allowed to go to the screen and take the big decisions of the game, they have to change the name of the VAR and call it VR -- video referee,” said Mourinho.

“In this moment, the referees that are on the pitch are not making the most important decisions of the game.

“Give the referee the command and give him the possibility of going to the screen for the big decisions or change the name to VR. I don’t accept the mistakes by the video referee.” Mourinho is hopeful Alli can shrug off the ankle injury he suffered from Sterling’s challenge to face Southampton in an FA Cup fourth-round replay on Wednesday.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is not taking charge of his side’s replay against League One Shrewsbury at Anfield, preferring instead to give his full senior squad an extended rest during their two-week winter break from the Premier League.

Spurs are also on their winter break but Mourinho is seeking to win the club’s first silverware since 2008.

“I prefer to play tomorrow because to have them on holidays would mean we were knocked out,” said Mourinho.

“It’s another extra effort for the boys, but I prefer (to play). We are in the competition so until we are, we are going to fight.”

Meanwhile, more than two-thirds of Premier League fans believe the introduction of VAR has taken the fun out of football, according to a YouGov survey.

The technology is in use for the first time in the English top-flight this season and its implementation has been met with consistent criticism.

In contrast to other Europan leagues, referees have been advised not to use pitchside monitors to review their own decisions and are instead overruled by an official watching the game at the league’s VAR hub in London.

Even though the referees are not consulting the monitors, the process has often led to long delays while decisions are reviewed. There have also been complaints about a lack of communication to fans inside the ground.

The poll found that 67 percent felt matches were less enjoyable since the introduction of VAR.

Agencies