De Zerbi Claims Referees Were Rattled by West Ham-Arsenal VAR Storm as He Explains His Touchline Outburst
Roberto De Zerbi has hinted that the officials who oversaw Spurs’ draw with Leeds United were still feeling the effects of the previous day’s VAR storm surrounding Arsenal’s victory over West Ham.
West Ham had a late leveller disallowed at the London Stadium on Sunday after Pablo was adjudged to have obstructed goalkeeper David Raya. Referee Chris Kavanagh initially allowed the goal to stand, but following a lengthy review involving VAR officials Darren England and Akil Howson — who studied 17 replays over more than five minutes — Kavanagh was directed to the pitchside monitor and ultimately reversed his decision, handing Arsenal a free-kick instead.
Although a separate refereeing team handled Monday’s Spurs vs Leeds fixture, De Zerbi felt the wider atmosphere of scrutiny had unsettled them. The game was stop-start throughout, with a contentious offside call among the flashpoints, and 13 minutes of stoppage time were played. The Spurs boss was himself cautioned for stepping out of his technical area following a heavy foul on James Maddison, who was making his first outing since suffering an ACL injury in a pre-season friendly last August.
After the final whistle, De Zerbi told reporters the referee had been on edge from the opening minute, warning him repeatedly about leaving his area. He suggested the officials may have carried the weight of the previous night’s controversy into Monday’s game, and that his own side also struggled to settle, playing with little composure in a frantic atmosphere.
On the West Ham-Arsenal VAR debate itself, De Zerbi was unequivocal — he saw no controversy in the decision, insisting Pablo had clearly fouled Raya and that the correct call was made.
When pressed on whether Spurs should have had a penalty after Maddison went down in the Leeds box, De Zerbi declined to engage, saying he had not seen the incident and did not wish to stoke further controversy.
He was, however, delighted to have Maddison back, describing him as a player of real quality and character who would be important to the club’s survival push — noting that the midfielder even played beyond the number of minutes they had originally agreed upon.
Looking at the broader picture, De Zerbi reminded those around him just how far Spurs have come in a short space of time. When he took charge, the outlook was bleak following the Sunderland defeat, yet four games later they had accumulated eight points and now sit just two points behind West Ham with two matches to play. He backed Leeds to make life difficult for West Ham in their upcoming encounter, given the form and spirit Daniel Farke’s side have shown this season.
Spurs still face Chelsea and Everton, while West Ham must contend with Newcastle United and Leeds.
