Craig Pawson called out over contentious Chelsea v Tottenham footage
Tottenham’s defeat to Chelsea was marred in controversy as the visitors had an equalising goal disallowed in the second half.
Spurs found themselves 1-0 down as Enzo Fernandez gave Chelsea the lead, but Ange Postecoglou thought he had pulled off a tactical masterstroke by bringing Pape Matar Sarr on as a substitute.
Postecoglou was booed for his decision, but Sarr scored almost instantly from long range, before the goal was disallowed for a foul on Moises Caicedo.
Pape Matar Sarr yellow card labelled ‘harsh’
Controversy arose over Craig Pawson’s decision to disallow Sarr’s goal. While it was perhaps the correct decision because of the foul in the build-up, it took six minutes for the referee and VAR team to come to the decision.
Sarr was also booked after the goal was ruled out, and former FIFA and PGMOL referee Keith Hackett has now slammed this decision.
| Stat | Pape Matar Sarr |
| Appearances | 92 |
| Goals | 9 |
| Assists | 6 |
| Yellow cards | 19 |
“The VAR Jarred Gillett was correct to request referee Craig Pawson to visit the monitor,” Hackett exclusively told Tottenham Hotspur News.
“There was a clear foul in the build up and it was the correct decision to rule out the goal. However, I thought that the yellow card issued to the Spurs player a little harsh.”
Did Pape Matar Sarr deserve yellow card in Tottenham defeat?
Sarr’s foul on Caicedo was a clear and obvious one, and this then raised questions over why it took so long for referee Pawson to disallow the goal.
The Spurs midfielder’s studs connected with Caicedo’s knee, and some may even argue that the reckless foul edges closer to a red card than a yellow.
Sarr may feel aggrieved, but the overall decision was the correct one, and given that it was deemed a foul, a yellow card for his high tackle was perhaps the right call, even if it felt harsh in the moment.
Spurs were disappointing again in the defeat but had the goal stood, the game could have panned out differently, and Postecoglou only saw the pressure further raised on him.
Tottenham’s main focus is now the Europa League, but losing home and away to Arsenal and Chelsea this season has topped off a miserable domestic campaign under Postecoglou.