Mourinho slams 'tired' referee Oliver for giving Arsenal spot kick
‘My record on him with penalties is astonishing’: Jose Mourinho slams ‘tired’ Michael Oliver as Tottenham boss claims he is ‘very UNLUCKY’ in games he referees after he awarded Arsenal decisive spot kick in north London derby defeat
- Alexandre Lacazette scored the winner from 12 yards after being brought down
- Jose Mourinho felt that the decision was harsh and took aim at Michael Oliver
- Mourinho suggested the official was tired and gave a lot of penalties against him
- The Tottenham boss admitted his side had been poor in the first half of the derby
- Erik Lamela brilliantly put the visitors ahead before Martin Odegaard’s equaliser
- Lacazette then made it 2-1 – with substitute Lamela later given a second yellow
Jose Mourinho slammed his players and referee Michael Oliver after Tottenham suffered north London derby defeat at Arsenal.
Manager Mourinho accused some of his Spurs stars of ‘hiding’ during a poor first half – and also included himself in his scathing assessment – before criticising Oliver for awarding a second-half spot-kick that was ‘an offence to penalties.’
Mourinho’s side, who finished the game with ten men, let a one-goal lead slip and were beaten by Alexandre Lacazette’s controversial penalty.
Jose Mourinho expressed his anger about the award of a penalty to Arsenal by Michael Oliver
Alexandre Lacazette was caught by Davinson Sanchez after he had attempted a strike at goal
Spurs led against the run of play through a sensational rabona goal from Erik Lamela, who came on early for the injured Son Heung-min and was later sent off, the visitors’ only first-half attempt on goal.
Mourinho, who withdrew Gareth Bale and Tanguy Ndombele early in the second half, insisting they were not playing with the intensity he wanted, said: ‘The only two things that were positive in the first half were an amazing goal and the result – 1-1 was not a fair reflection of that first half where they dominated us. We were very poor.
‘Some important players hiding. I’m not even going in direction of individuals. I’m as guilty for that first-half as the players.
‘People hiding themselves, no intensity, no passing and moving. We were poor. As simple as that.’
Martin Odegaard equalised for Arsenal before the decisive moment arrived shortly after the hour.
Oliver pointed to the spot after Lacazette went down following a challenge from Davinson Sanchez, who slid in attempting to block an anticipated effort from the Frenchman.
Oliver waved away the Tottenham players’ protests and was not asked to review the decision
Lacazette swung for the ball but failed to properly connect and contact between the pair came as a result of his follow through.
Mourinho said: ‘I don’t want to call it a penalty, because is an offence to the penalty. That was a mistake by Oliver.
‘Players get tired, coaches get tired, maybe referees get tired too. My record with Michael Oliver on penalties with Chelsea, United and Tottenham is unlucky.’
Arsenal remain tenth and ten points off the top four but Arteta said: ‘Hopefully it will increase the level of confidence in the team and the belief that we can play really well against any opponent, that we can beat big teams as well, and to maintain this together with the same belief.
‘We know that we have to put together four or five wins in a row to give ourselves any chance of looking up in the table but we are ready for a fight.’
Lacazette then dusted himself off and slotted home coolly for what proved to be the winner
More penalties have now been scored in this Premier League fixture than any other (20)
Mourinho also aired his grievances about the lack of media accountability for referees, but admitted his side had been well off the pace in the first half and were lucky to reach half time all-square.
‘No post-match interviews for referee,’ he laughed.
‘Well, I think we played really bad in the first half. 1-1 was not a fair reflection of the first half. We were poor. Defending bad, no intensity or pressing.
‘Even in terms of creating attacking football, (we had) some important players hiding.
Erik Lamela produced a clever rabona to put Tottenham ahead after replacing Son Heung-min
‘In the second half we only had space to improve, which we did, and then it’s a question, but an impossible question as they don’t speak, a question for Michael to answer. Probably Paul Tierney too as he was the VAR.
‘According to Kevin Friend, the referee told me he had a clear vision and the VAR didn’t want to go against it.
‘But second half was under control, we recovered what we lost in the first half. We made changes to try and win it and then it’s a penalty.
Martin Odegaard then bagged his first goal for Arsenal before Lacazette’s second-half winner
Lamela’s day then went downhill as he was dismissed for striking Kieran Tierney in the face
‘After the penalty a second yellow for Lamela, but even so the team in the last 20 minutes, we did what we could and tried to get a result.’
The defeat was Mourinho’s ninth league reverse this season, the joint-most in his career in a single campaign.
Spurs now need to pick themselves up for successive trips to Dinamo Zagreb on Thursday and Aston Villa next Sunday in the Europa League and Premier League respectively before the international break.
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