The Premier League has officially confirmed that midfielder Mateus Fernandes was not guilty of a handball offence during Tottenham Hotspur’s match against Leeds United, explaining the decision made by match officials. A statement from the Premier League Match Centre detailed that referee John Brooks’ initial call to not award a penalty was checked and upheld by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
The incident occurred in the opening minutes of the game at Elland Road. Fernandes, attempting to chest the ball back to his goalkeeper, misjudged its flight. The ball appeared to strike his outstretched arm, prompting appeals from Leeds for a penalty. VAR conducted a review, and the on-field decision of “play on” was ultimately confirmed.
Official Explanation from VAR
The VAR review was led by Tony Harrington, with assistance from Matthew Wilkes. Harrington explained the reasoning behind the decision, stating: Confirming the on-field decision of play on. The ball strikes the very top of the arm as he is leaning – in the green zone
. This clarification indicates that the ball made contact with the highest part of Fernandes’ arm while his body was in a leaning position, which falls outside the parameters for a handball offence according to the Premier League’s guidance.
Leeds United Beat Tottenham After Controversial Non-Penalty Decision
The controversial moment took place early in the Premier League fixture, with Tottenham, having won their last three games, travelling to Leeds who were winless in their previous five outings. Despite the early appeal, no penalty was awarded, and the match continued. The game concluded with Leeds United securing a 1-0 victory through a goal from Noah Okafor. Source: Givemesport
Further VAR Decisions in the Match
The VAR’s role in the match extended beyond the Fernandes incident. Leeds United also had a moment of potential controversy involving a challenge from Jayden Bogle on Mathys Tel. The incident was checked by VAR, but no further action was taken against Bogle. The referee’s call of no penalty to Leeds United was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed that Fernandes did not commit a handball offence. Source: Motleedsnews
