Maddison free to face Newcastle
NUNO Espirito Santo has hit out at another VAR controversy after he felt Tottenham’s James Maddison should have been sent off during Nottingham Forest’s
3-1 loss at Spurs,
Spurs and England playmaker Maddison was involved in an off-the-ball incident with Forest’s Ryan Yates just before half-time, which ended with the Forest captain in a heap on the floor. Yates urged referee Simon Hooper to review the incident and replays showed Maddison did catch the Forest midfielder with a whack to the stomach, but VAR decided not to take action.
It meant Maddison avoided a red card which would have ruled him out of Tottenham’s game against Newcastle United next weekend. Spurs come to St James’ Park for Saturday’s 12.30pm kick-off, with Ange Postecoglou’s side now fourth in the Premier League table, ahead of Aston Villa on goal difference. However, Nuno insists Maddison shouldn’t be unavailable for that game.
“It doesn’t look like he punched him, he punched him,” the Forest boss said. “I saw the image and that is why I speak to you. I was surprised that VAR didn’t tell Simon to review it better because honestly, with all my respects, Maddison loses his composure and it is a punch in the stomach of Yates.
“It should have been reviewed and a different decision. It is not a shirt with players that looks like nothing happens, no. No, it’s without the ball. I didn’t ask (Hooper), but I saw it. There is no problem in telling I didn’t see it the same way. We didn’t agree, me and VAR.”
Maddison had been a transfer target for Newcastle United last summer, of course, but chose to move to Tottenham following Leicester City’s relegation from the Premier League, with the Magpies signing his former teammate Harvey Barnes.