Mike Dean: 'Friendship hindered VAR call in Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur game'

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter | 25 August 2023

Dean: 'Friendship impacted VAR call in Chelsea, Spurs game'

Former official Mike Dean says that his friendship with the referee impacted on him making the correct decision in a Premier League fixture between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur last season.

Former official Mike Dean has revealed that he did not make the correct VAR call in a Premier League fixture last season 'to save his mate from more grief'.

On the second weekend of 2022-23, Chelsea played host to Tottenham Hotspur, the match ending in a 2-2 draw after Harry Kane scored a last-gasp equaliser for the visitors.

Preceding the corner that Kane connected with a header, Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella had been pulled to the floor by his hair, an incident that was missed by the on-field referee.

As the ball had not re-entered play at that point, Chelsea would not have been handed a free kick, but Spurs defender Cristian Romero would have been sent off before the set piece had been taken.

In the aftermath of that goal, Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte were involved in a frosty exchange at the full-time whistle, which descended into both teams become involved in confrontations.

Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel and Tottenham Hotspur head coach Antonio Conte have a tiff on August 14, 2022. © Reuters

Chelsea would also lose two of their next three fixtures - to Leeds United and Dinamo Zagreb respectively - and Tuchel would be sacked by the club's new owners.

Dean, who was in charge of VAR for the Stamford Bridge showdown with Spurs, has acknowledged that he made a mistake by not sending Anthony Taylor to the pitchside monitor with the advice to send Romero off.

However, the now-retired official has revealed that he opted against that decision to avoid creating more controversy in an ill-tempered game and to not give Taylor 'any more grief'.

Speaking on Simon Jordan's Up Front podcast, Dean said: "I missed the stupid hair pull at Chelsea versus Tottenham which was pathetic from my point of view.

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel on August 6, 2022 © Reuters

"It's one of them where if I had my time again, what would I do? I'd send Anthony [Taylor] to the screen. I think I knew if I did send him to the screen, he's cautioned both managers, he's had a hell of a game, it's been such a tough game end to end.

"I said to Anthony afterwards: 'I just didn't want to send you to the screen after what has gone on in the game'.

"I didn't want to send him up because he is a mate as well as a referee and I think I didn't want to send him up because I didn't want any more grief than he already had."

Had Chelsea won that game, they would have started the campaign with back-to-back victories in the Premier League, following on from a 1-0 triumph at Everton; the West Londoners eventually finished in 12th position, using four different head coaches during 2022-23.