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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Dan Kilpatrick

Jan Vertonghen reacts to Leicester vs Tottenham VAR controversy: 'It makes football a different game'

Jan Vertonghen says VAR "takes a lot out of football" and has made it "a different game" after Tottenham were denied a second goal in Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Leicester.

With Spurs leading 1-0 through Harry Kane's extraordinary finish, Serge Aurier's 67th-minute strike was ruled by the VAR for a fractional offside against Heung-min Son.

Replays suggested there was a matter of millimetres between the South Korean and the last defender, and Spurs paid a heavy price for the decision as Ricardo Pereira equalised two minutes later, before James Maddison struck a late winner for the hosts.

Vertonghen followed manager Mauricio Pochettino's lead in refusing to blame the technology for more dropped points but said: "Obviously you have to trust the VAR to make the right decision.

"It went our way in the first half [when Leicester had a Wilfred Ndidi goal ruled out for offside], their way in the second. It makes football a different game, it takes a lot out of it. It’s for the good but it has changed a lot."

Spurs were notable beneficiaries of the technology when Raheem Sterling's last-minute winner was ruled out as they beat Man City on their way to last season's Champions League final.

"It’s painful," Vertonghen added. "City probably felt the same in the quarter final of the Champions League. It was the same distance [as Son's].

"It was tough because I thought we were doing well, we thought we were going 2-0 up. We were defending well. We didn’t create too many chances but we felt comfortable.

"The game goes on. It takes a long time to make these decisions. I think we also deserved a penalty in the first half on Danny Rose – it looked like one. Whatever. It’s tough when it goes against you and good when it goes for you.

"If you’re [leading] 1-0 and the way we were playing – we felt good, we were dominating – then maybe you should put the game in the bag," the Belgian continued. "We need to keep clean sheets as well.

Woe: Jan Vertonghen rued his Tottenham's missed chances. Photo: REUTERS

"We didn’t give them many chances. Leicester are a very, very good team. They’ll challenge for the top places. They’ve got lots of quality and we dominated.

"Coming from Olympiacos, which wasn’t good, and bouncing back in this way until the disallowed goal is something to look at in a positive way."

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