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Football London
Football London
Sport
David Byrom

Sky Sports pundits slam VAR after Tottenham opening goal hits Davinson Sanchez's arm

Sky Sports pundits hit out at the decision to allow Tottenham Hotspur's first goal against West Ham United.

West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek was unfortunate to see the ball bounce off his foot from a corner and nestle into the bottom corner of his own goal - but only after the ball had glanced Spurs defender Davinson Sanchez's arm.

The goal was given after being checked by VAR and Harry Kane subsequently added a second to make it a 2-0 victory for Spurs.

Yet two former Spurs players argued on Sky Sports that the first goal should not have stood.

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Jamie Redknapp explained that, whilst he was not a fan of the current iteration of the handball laws, the goal should not have stood.

He said: "Letter of the law, they get away with one a bit here, Spurs.

"I'm not a big fan of this rule, I have to be honest, it's ball to hand, it's a complete accident, but we're seeing goals this season that have been taken away from people.

"Look at Sanchez, the ball glances off of him and it's minimal but the letter of the law says it shouldn't be allowed.

"I don't like the rule, I think it's a rubbish rule and one that has to change as the ball is always moving and he's not tried to do it.

"It's an accident."

Meanwhile, ex-Spurs striker Bobby Zamora questioned how the contact with the ball was not picked up in Stockley Park by VAR.

"It took us two views and we all said it's hit his arm," he said.

"You can see the shirt move and the muscle in his arm move.

"The flight of the ball is changed because of that, ultimately, which means it doesn't hit the inside of his foot, possibly, and doesn't go into the bottom corner.

"It's clear to me, it's clear to everybody here, I don't see how they can get that wrong in the studio with the cameras and access like we have."

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