Jose Mourinho remained tight-lipped as another controversial handball decision saw his side concede a last-gasp equaliser against Newcastle, with Magpies boss Steve Bruce hitting out at the new regulations.
Spurs looked on course for victory after Lucas Moura’s first Premier League goal since December had given them a deserved lead but Callum Wilson earned the visitors a 1-1 draw with a stoppage-time penalty.
The spot-kick came through a VAR intervention, referee Peter Bankes pointing to the spot as Eric Dier was penalised for handball – the latest example of the new ruling leading to a decision questioned by all involved.
A lengthy check saw a potential offside against Andy Carroll dismissed before the penalty was given, with Wilson calm enough to slam home the resulting spot-kick and earn the visitors a point.
Spurs goalkeeper coach Nuno Santos was sent off at the full-time whistle but Mourinho had already disappeared down the tunnel by that point and offered little when asked about the incident.
“I don’t want to comment, I just don’t want to,” the Tottenham head coach said.
“My team did a fantastic match, I cannot ask more from the players. Their goalkeeper was phenomenal. I cannot ask more from my players.”
Saturday had seen more handball controversy in the Premier League, Manchester United scoring a penalty after the final whistle to win at Brighton and Everton beating Crystal Palace through a similar incident.
Palace boss Roy Hodgson called the decision a “nonsense” – with the International Football Association Board ruling that, if the ball hits the hand of a player who has made their body “unnaturally bigger” then a foul will be awarded.
Before the incident, Spurs had dominated the game and should have been clear, Newcastle goalkeeper Karl Darlow making a string of fine saves and Son Heung-min hitting the woodwork twice.
Son was taken off at half-time and Mourinho confirmed he is suffering from a hamstring injury in another setback for Spurs.
Newcastle may have been the beneficiaries of the latest handball call but Bruce seemed happier than Mourinho to question the logic behind the new law.
“We’ve got away with one,” he said.
“It has fallen for us today but if we are not careful maybe we should all query these new rules and who actually makes them, and also the way we are now executing them as well.
“I thought VAR was coming in for clear and obvious decisions, now it is ludicrous and it ruins, for me, the spectacle of what is the Premier League.
“I don’t even think Dier is looking at the ball, so I’m not a big lover of it. We have got away with one and I should be delighted with it but I know it will bite me eventually and that is wrong.”
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