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WATFORD 2 SOUTHAMPTO­N 2

- January 14, 2018 BY NICK PATTISON

In a week when VAR (Video Assistant Referee) arrived in English football, Doucoure bundled the ball home with his hand to earn Watford a 2-2 draw – and leave under-pressure Pellegrino fighting to save his job.

Saints were heading for a first league win in 10 games before referee Roger East failed to spot the Frenchman’s blatant act of cheating. Pellegrino said: “It’s clear handball. “We must try the technology. In every single team sport, technology helps us to make better decisions. Why not football? We have to try and then analyse.

“At this level, you have a lot to win and lose. I feel disappoint­ed like all my players. We are sad. I imagine the referee is also not happy right now.”

Southampto­n’s players were seething, and even Watford skipper Troy Deeney said: “If VAR had come in, we wouldn’t have got that draw.”

 ??  ?? WAT A FARCE Doucoure ‘heads’ in Watford’s last-gasp goal with his hand to earn them a controvers­ial point
WAT A FARCE Doucoure ‘heads’ in Watford’s last-gasp goal with his hand to earn them a controvers­ial point

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