James Maddison has criticised match officials and VAR following Tottenham Hotspur’s controversial 1-1 draw against Leeds United on Monday night.
The Tottenham midfielder was left furious after appeals for a dramatic stoppage-time penalty were waved away by referee Jarred Gillett despite heavy contact from Leeds substitute Lukas Nmecha inside the box.
With Spurs searching for a late winner, Maddison went down during added time after challenging for the ball.
Gillett immediately pointed for a corner, suggesting Nmecha had made contact with the ball before the collision.
The incident was quickly reviewed by VAR, with the Premier League Match Centre later confirming officials believed the Leeds forward got a touch on the ball.
However, Maddison strongly disagreed with the decision and later broke his silence on social media.
“For clarity… The small tiny touch on the ball to change direction came from the outside of my right foot not Nmecha and I told the ref that but the check was over in about 20 seconds,” said Maddison.
“Officials are petrified to make decisions on the pitch now because of VAR. We keep fighting. COYS.”
The fiery draw ended after 15 minutes of added time, with Leeds securing an important away point despite already confirming Premier League survival earlier in the weekend.
Meanwhile, Tottenham were left frustrated after missing the chance to claim all three points in their battle near the bottom of the table.
The debate surrounding the late incident has continued to dominate discussions, with fans and pundits split over whether Spurs should have been awarded a decisive penalty.
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