Tottenham Hotspur went to Elland Road for the Saturday lunchtime kick-off in confident mood, having won their last three Premier League games. Daniel Farke’s Leeds, by contrast, were winless in five. Spurs have been recovering from a poor start to the season, and an early escape against Leeds suggested luck might be turning in their favour.
In the opening minutes, midfielder Mateus Fernandes tried to chest the ball back to his goalkeeper but didn’t control it properly, and it seemed to strike his outstretched arm. Referee John Brooks let play continue, and VAR took a look. The footage seemed worrying for Fernandes at first glance, but the officials decided there was no penalty.
The Premier League Match Centre later explained that the referee’s no-penalty call was checked and confirmed, with VAR judging that Fernandes had not committed a handball offence. Tony Harrington, working as VAR with Matthew Wilkes assisting, said the ball struck the very top of the arm while Fernandes was leaning, which put it in the permitted “green zone.” A second TV angle then appeared to show more clearly that the ball hit his shoulder rather than his arm, and the Premier League also shared a graphic to illustrate the ruling.
Fernandes has had a mixed start to life at Spurs since joining from West Ham in the summer for a reported fee of around £85m. He failed to win any of his first six Premier League games with the club, then came off the bench in the 3-1 win over Coventry City. He has since played 90 minutes in the 2-0 wins over Chelsea and Crystal Palace, setting up a goal against the Blues, before starting against Leeds.
When he signed, Fernandes said Roberto De Zerbi’s influence was a key reason for the move. He described their conversation as very special, saying they share the same view of football: a strong, energetic and combative team that goes out to win every match. He added that he was excited to meet the fans and give everything for the club.
