Tottenham’s afternoon at Elland Road went from bad to worse as another refereeing row erupted. Leeds defender Jayden Bogle stayed on the pitch after a nasty-looking challenge on Mathys Tel, and the decision has set off a fierce debate among fans, with former Spurs midfielder Jamie O’Hara reportedly among those left furious.
The flashpoint came in the first half, when Tel tried to turn away from Bogle and the Leeds man caught him from behind, with his studs landing around the Achilles. Tel went down in clear pain. Referee John Brooks waved play on without a card, and VAR then spent several minutes checking for a red. Even with plenty of replay angles, the on-field call was upheld and Bogle didn’t even get a yellow.
The Premier League Match Centre later explained that VAR backed the referee because the challenge lacked speed and Bogle was stepping into it. The VAR official still called it reckless but said the no-red decision would stand. That did little to calm things. Many Spurs fans felt the explanation ignored the danger of studs hitting an opponent’s Achilles, and wondered why a lengthy review ended without any punishment.
O’Hara was said to be livid, calling it a disgrace and the worst decision he had ever seen. His reaction mirrors a wider mood among Tottenham supporters, who believed VAR had a clear chance to fix a serious mistake. Fans also pointed to similar challenges that have drawn red cards in other games, and argued that this inconsistency keeps eroding trust in officiating, even if every incident is judged on its own merits.
Things got worse for Spurs when Tel couldn’t carry on. After treatment he tried to continue but was clearly uncomfortable, and he limped off in the 43rd minute for Dominic Solanke. Roberto De Zerbi was visibly unhappy on the touchline. The concern for Tottenham was now twofold: a possible injury to Tel, and Leeds keeping all eleven men after a challenge Spurs felt deserved a sending-off.
Leeds went on to win 1-0, with Noah Okafor scoring in the 79th minute. But the result isn’t the only talking point from the match. VAR was brought in to correct major errors like serious foul play, yet calls like this keep raising questions about how consistently it’s applied. For now Bogle is unpunished, Tel is off injured, and Spurs fans are demanding answers.
