Linesman made mistake during Tottenham 3-6 Liverpool which potentially cost Spurs a goal

Today at 01:24 PM

Tottenham welcomed Liverpool to N17 on Sunday for a repeat of the clash which sent shockwaves through the Premier League last season.

Many will recall the uproar caused by those in the VAR booth at Stockley Park for this fixture last term – in which Luis Diaz saw a legitimate goal wrongly disallowed for offside due to a major miscommunication amongst the officials.

As such, all eyes were on the officiating team – led by Samuel Barrott in the centre – although the linesman still caused eyebrows to raise during the opening 45 minutes as Tottenham were hard done by.

Linesman was not enforcing the rules properly during Tottenham 3-6 Liverpool

Since the introduction of VAR, linesmen have been instructed not to raise their flags for close offside calls – just in case they ruin a legal sequence of play and a potential goal, should the player in question actually be onside.

However, the linesman overseeing the end Tottenham were attacking in the first half did not seem to receive the memo, as he continuously raised his flag instead of allowing the attack to play out.

In truth, Barrott himself should not have sounded his whistle either – as Tottenham wrongly missed out on the chance to score potentially legitimate goals in that opening 45 minutes, frustrating the likes of Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski in particular.

Strangely, the linesman tasked with overlooking the end Liverpool attacked in the first half was enforcing this rule properly, so Spurs fans have every right to be outraged.

Ange Postecoglou has to back down

Like Russell Martin before he was sacked by Southampton, Ange Postecoglou has consistently doubled down on his managerial philosophy – maintain a high line, play the ball forward quickly and press with intensity.

While that is admirable, it is actually more naive, and Spurs, who angered fans before the defeat vs Liverpool, are paying the price.

This season alone, Tottenham – who want Julian Brandt in January – have conceded four goals to Chelsea in N17, six to Liverpool and three to Manchester United, as well as three away to Brighton and Galatasaray.

Spurs are – admittedly – good to watch going forward, but the foundation of any successful side starts from the back. The longer Tottenham are this porous in defence, we doubt Postecoglou will achieve anything noteworthy in north London.