Tottenham's Champions League hopes fade as not even VAR controversy can mask the task Jose Mourinho now faces
Tottenham’s Champions League hopes look all but over after a wretched 3-1 defeat at Sheffield United, which was marred by VAR controversy.
After defeats for Leicester and Chelsea last night, Spurs had a golden chance to increase the pressure on the top four but, not for the first time this season, they squandered the opportunity.
The defeat leaves them nine points shy of fourth-placed Chelsea and, given the form of Manchester United, Wolves and even a resurgent Arsenal, their chances of a top five finish are rapidly fading.
On the eve of the match, Mourinho played down the significance of a fifth consecutive season of Champions League football and insisted he was using the remaining weeks of the season to prepare for next term.
But the lack of a seat at Europe's top table will further hit Tottenham's finances, which have already been stung to the tune of £200million during the pandemic, and make it even harder for them to continue competing with their top-six rivals on a smaller budget.
Frankly, given the manner of their collapse after half-time when Lys Mousset and Oli McBurnie added to Sander Berge's opener, Spurs neither have the quality nor mentality to compete in the competition they came so agonisingly close to winning last season.
This was the second time Spurs have conceded three away from home at a newly-promoted club, having lost 3-0 at Brighton under Mauricio Pochettino, and the result felt like another nadir of their wretched season, which now seems certain to end without a late charge up the table.
Another day, another VAR controversy
The visitors were understandably incensed when Harry Kane’s equaliser was ruled out for a handball by Lucas Moura moments after Berge's opener. The Brazilian’s hand appeared to brush the ball as he went to ground after a shove, before John Egan’s thumped clearance ricocheted off his back and fell to Kane.
In fairness to VAR Michael Oliver, the laws of the game – stating that a goal should be disallowed if the ball touches an attacker’s hand or arm in the immediate build-up – were upheld but this example demonstrated the absurdity of the rule. Not a single Sheffield United player appealed and it felt like the technology was looking for a reason to disallow the goal, rather than righting any sort of wrong.
Jamie Redknapp in the Sky Sports studio said it was the worst VAR decision he had seen and accused it of "ruining the game". It was hard to disagree. Clearly, the law needs to change or VAR needs to go. This was not football as we know and love it.
Spurs were fuming when the incident was bizarrely played on the big screen to an empty stadium – the screen was temporarily shutdown at the start of the second half – and, led by Eric Dier, they surrounded the referee at half-time.
Tactical analyst Ricardo Formoshino was particularly livid. The visitors were further aggrieved shortly afterwards when George Baldock appearing to elbow Heung-min Son in the face while already on a booking, prompting such a barrage from the Spurs bench that fourth official Peter Bankes threatened someone with expulsion to the stands.
It was easy to understand Spurs' fury and Mourinho will surely have felt they should have been level and a man up at the interval, rather than trailing.
Spurs respond poorly
Like West Ham against Chelsea on Wednesday, Tottenham’s challenge was to recover from the burning sense of injustice to win the game after half-time. As such, the second half felt like an enormous test of character for Mourinho’s side, which they spectacularly failed.
The visitors struggled to rediscover their rhythm after the interval and the defending for Sheffield United’s second and third goals was abysmal. Moussa Sissoko, Eric Dier and Ben Davies were all statuesque as Enda Stevens crossed for Mousset to tap in before McBurnie finished from another cross after Spurs were too passive and static again.
It felt like a huge step backwards after only a fourth clean sheet of the season against West Ham last time out. Tottenham’s attacking quality was little better, with lynchpin Giovani Lo Celso particularly off colour as the visitors were outfought and outdone in the second half.
Kane eventually got his goal, tapping in a late consolation from Son's cross to make it two in two but it was far too little too late.
Mourinho will no doubt feel his side were robbed and blame the officials and the technology – but top teams respond to such setbacks and Spurs royally failed to do so.
