Aston Villa manager Dean Smith says a “farcical VAR decision” contributed to Tottenham’s last-gasp Premier League win at Villa Park on Sunday.
Spurs were awarded a penalty by VAR when the score was 1-1, with Son Heung-min scoring the rebound.
The South Korean forward later scored a stoppage-time winner, taking Jose Mourinho’s side up to fifth in the table, a point behind fourth-placed Chelsea.
Smith was heavily critical of VAR’s intervention. “I don’t get it,” he said.
“There’s 42,000 people in the stadium, he [referee Martin Atkinson] gives a goal-kick and everyone believes it’s a goal-kick.
“It was a farcical VAR decision. The criteria is clear and obvious. It’s not clear and obvious. Martin Atkinson stood up but his authority has been taken away.
“I told Martin at half-time I didn’t blame him, but if he was brave enough to walk over to that monitor it takes 30 seconds, you go, ‘No, I’m happy with my decision’ and we play on.
“Instead we go into an environment where there’s no feel for the game or what’s happened and we make a decision. It was a sore result for us, it’s a tough one to take.”
The result means Villa remain a point above the bottom three in 17th.
(BBC Sport)
