Referee defends Spurs goal decision v Arsenal | OneFootball

The referee at the centre of Sunday’s north London derby ‘controversy’ has publicly explained why Tottenham’s goal against Arsenal was ruled out, standing firmly by his decision.

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Peter Bankes has defended his decision to disallow Tottenham Hotspur striker Randal Kolo Muani’s goal against Arsenal, insisting the on-field call in Sunday’s north London derby was correct after reviewing the incident again.

The moment arrived during the second half with Arsenal leading 2-1, before going on to secure a 4-1 win, and quickly became one of the main talking points of the match after some pundits suggested Gabriel had ‘exaggerated the contact’.

Speaking on Match Officials Mic’d Up, Bankes explained why he immediately viewed the challenge as a foul.

“I see two hands from the Tottenham player into the back of the Arsenal player and that is going to be my main focus,” he said. “Once you see two hands in live play, it looks like a push, a clear push.

Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

“I delayed the whistle so that the play could continue, then obviously gave my final decision once the ball had gone into the goal and that allows the VAR then to potentially check if I’ve misread something or if it doesn’t quite look right.

“But on field it looked a very, very clear offence.”

The VAR reviewed the incident and upheld the referee’s original decision, with Bankes confirming he remained satisfied after subsequently watching replays.

“Obviously, different speeds can make things look different. In slow motion, it can look different to what you see live,” he added.

“I get one look at it, and I was more than happy that the two hands on the back had enough impact and was an offence.

“I understand there’s going to be split opinions on it, but for me I’m still comfortable that is enough for a free kick.”