Suriname's Robinhood used a strong second half to propel themselves past Dominican Republic outfit Atletico Pantoja in a 3-1 comeback victory to end the group phase of the 2023 Concacaf Caribbean Cup on a high at the Dr. Ir. Franklin Essed Stadion in Paramaribo, on Thursday.
Not only did Robinhood earn a spot in the Caribbean Cup semifinals with the win, but they also topped Group B, as they ended with nine points, two points ahead of Jamaican side Harbour View, who fell to the other Dominican Republic side Cibao FC.
Atletico Pantoja started strong came and a trip from Robinhood goalkeeper Jonathan Fonkel on Luis Espinal in the area in the 18th minute resulted in a penalty. Francisco Ortega stepped up and squeezed the spot kick past Fonkel for a 1-0 Atletico Pantoja lead.
The conversion brought Atletico Pantoja to within a goal of leapfrogging Robinhood in the group and getting the final semifinal spot, but the Surinamese hosts looked to answer and started peppering the Atletico Pantoja goal with shots.
Their persistence paid off in glorious fashion in the 57th on a sensational left-footed strike from Jamilhio Rigters from outside the area to even the score at 1-1.
Another pivotal moment came on the hour mark when Atletico Pantoja’s Wilman Modesta was sent off with a straight red card for a foul on Carlos Da Silva, leaving the visitors with 10 men.
Robinhood made the most of it and added an insurance goal in the 74th, as Renske Adipi slotted home a right-footed shot from outside the area for a 2-1 lead.
Shaquille Cairo then put the icing on the cake in the 81’ by stabbing home a cross from the left flank to complete the 3-1 scoreline and secure Robinhood’s first-place finish in the group.
Mikel Arteta has confirmed Bukayo Saka is in contention to face Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday.
Saka sustained a muscle injury and was substituted during Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat at Lens in Group B of the Champions League on Tuesday.
The winger, who has scored four Premier League goals in seven games this season, could feature in Sunday’s clash at the Emirates and is part of Gareth Southgate’s England squad for a friendly with Australia and a Euro 2024 qualifier with Italy.
“He is in contention, we’ll see how he progresses from here to Sunday,” Arteta said.
“Obviously he had to leave the pitch (against Lens), that’s never good news, but let’s see how he recovers.
“I have spoken to Gareth on several occasions. I have to do my job and give him the news.
“He needs to make the best decision for the national team. I’m not going to get involved.”
The Spaniard believes Arsenal’s Community Shield victory over Manchester City was important for confidence but admitted the Gunners will need to be “at our best in every department for 100 minutes” if they are to repeat that success this weekend.
Arsenal beat Pep Guardiola’s treble-winning side on penalties in August after Leandro Trossard’s dramatic stoppage-time equaliser cancelled out Cole Palmer’s opener at Wembley.
However, that result between the teams has been the exception in recent years. City had beaten Arsenal in eight successive matches heading into the Community Shield, while Guardiola’s men are currently on a 12-match winning streak against the Gunners in the Premier League.
In fact, Arsenal have to go back to 2015 for the last time they claimed victory over City in the league, and Arteta knows what level of performance his side must produce on Sunday if they are to end that winless run.
“It was an important one for us (winning in Community Shield),” Arteta said.
“Having success against City is something you have to value, the way we did it as well and it gave us confidence and a lift that we can beat them.
“One thing for certain is that we know we will have to be at our best in every department for 100 minutes and then we will have a chance.”
An Arsenal victory this weekend would see them move two points clear of current leaders City, but Arteta dismissed any suggestion it would be a season-defining result.
“It will be a big boost energy- and confidence-wise but apart from that and the three points, nothing else,” he said.
Arteta highlighted Guardiola’s strengths as a manager and noted his fellow Spaniard’s decision to play Bernardo Silva at left-back in previous meetings was unexpected.
And the Gunners boss, who was Guardiola’s assistant at City between 2016 and 2019, credited his compatriot’s willingness to change tactics in games.
“Every year we have new tools, new players and different things,” Arteta said.
“We know each other, we expect things from each other but it is down to the players.
“I didn’t expect him to play Bernardo at left-back. Yes (expect Pep to make big changes) and he does that in big games.
“He’s done it this season as well. Against different opponents he does different things and that’s a big quality of them (City) because they can change.
“They can do this during the game, at half-time and that’s a strength, they can dominate.”
The Charlton Athletic pair Karoy Anderson and Michael Hector have both been included in the Reggae Boyz squad for their upcoming CONCACAF Nations League away fixtures against Grenada and Haiti set for October 12 and 15, respectively.
The squad was announced during a press conference at the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) headquarters on Friday.
Anderson, a 19-year-old London-born midfielder, got his first call-up while Hector, 31, has earned 35 caps for the Reggae Boyz with his last appearance coming in 2021.
Midfielder Kasey Palmer and defender Amari’i Bell are both missing from the last squad due to injuries while Dujuan Richards, Ethan Pinnock and Coniah Boyce-Clarke also miss out.
Jamaica’s last game against Grenada was a 5-1 Friendly win in 2018. Their last tussle with Haiti saw them erase a 0-2 deficit to pull out a 2-2 draw at the National Stadium last month.
The Reggae Boyz are currently at the top of Group B of League A of the Nations League with four points. The top two teams from that group will advance to the quarterfinals and this will mean the teams are one step closer to qualifying for the Copa America.
Finishing at the top of the group would put the Reggae Boyz up against either Canada or Costa Rica in the quarterfinals in November while finishing second will mean a tie against the USA or Mexico.
The full squad is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Andre Blake, Kemar Foster, Jahmali Waite
Defenders: Javain Brown, Tayvon Gray, Di’Shon Bernard, Michael Hector, Greg Leigh, Adrian Mariappa, Damion Lowe, Dexter Lembikisa
Midfielders: Bobby Decordova Reid, Daniel Johnson, Joel Latibeaudiere, Kevon Lambert, Karoy Anderson, Demario Phillips
Forwards: Michail Antonio, Leon Bailey, Demarai Gray, Shamar Nicholson, Romario Williams, Renaldo Cephas
Inter Milan are hoping to have Davide Frattesi available for Saturday’s clash with Bologna.
The Italy international suffered a muscle injury in the defeat at Sassuolo 10 days ago and missed the Serie A clash with Salernitana and the Champions League win over Benfica in midweek.
He trained on Friday and boss Simone Inzaghi will decide whether to risk him for Bologna’s visit to the San Siro.
Marko Arnautovic did not train with the group and will miss out.
Inter sit top of Serie A on goal difference ahead of their rivals AC Milan after a strong start to the season.
Defender Carlos Augusto is loving life at the San Siro following his loan move from Monza.
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The 24-year-old Brazilian has featured nine times for his new team and already knows what is expected.
“It’s going very well,” he said in an interview with DAZN, reported by La Gazzetta Dello Sport.
“The group and the staff have helped me a lot to get used to the new surroundings as best as possible and I’m very happy to help my team-mates. We are a family where everyone helps each other and for this reason, we are doing well.
“Inter aims to always win in all competitions, we want the title, but also the Italian Cup and to get as high as possible in the Champions League, this is what this team is, we want to win everything, always.”
Bologna have only lost once this season – a 2-0 reverse to AC Milan – so they will present a difficult challenge to Inter.
However, they will be without injured trio Stefan Posch, Jhon Lukumi, and Adama Soumaoro.
Cibao FC of the Dominican Republic ended their 2023 Concacaf Caribbean Cup on a positive note with a 2-1 victory over Harbour View of Jamaica in their Group B finale at the Estadio Cibao in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic on Thursday.
Despite the result, Harbour View advance to the semi-final as the second-place team in Group B with seven points, while Cibao finished third with four points.
Playing for pride, Cibao came out ready to battle and broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute when a free kick played into the area was flicked away with a defensive header, but the ball landed right to Yohan Parra, who swung in a shot past Harbour View goalkeeper Romario Palma for a 1-0 Cibao lead.
The momentum was with Cibao and on the half-hour mark Carlos Heredia was fouled in the Harbour View area, resulting in a penalty. Heredia calmly converted the spot kick, doubling the Cibao's advantage.
Harbour View were stunned but came to life toward the end of the half and Shaquiel Bradford turned in a rebound right before halftime to bring the visiting Jamaicans back into the encounter at 2-1 at the break.
Harbour View kept the pressure on in the second half and Cibao's goalkeeper Christopher Gonzalez somehow prevented an equalizer with a reaction save in the 72nd minute.
In the end though, the Cibao's defence held the line the rest of the way to nail down the victory.
Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson admits his side are in the thick of a “serious injury crisis” with midfielder Eberechi Eze becoming the latest player set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Eze’s hamstring issue ruled him out of selection for Gareth Southgate’s latest England squad after he featured last month, with the 25-year-old joining an ever-growing list of Palace players unavailable for Saturday’s home encounter with Nottingham Forest.
Despite the latest blow, Hodgson made clear he had no intention of courting pity, pointing to the bigger picture as he sought to assure concerned supporters.
Hodgson said: “There is no sympathy in the world of football for injuries and there is no point seeking sympathy. It happens to all teams.
“We happen to be in the middle of quite a serious injury crisis at the moment, but we have to learn to deal with it and accept the situation and look forward to the time when our squad is bigger again when these players return.
“OK, it’s not going to be in the next week or two, but the season doesn’t end until May so we have to keep that in mind as well.”
Palace sit ninth in the Premier League table after seven matches and enter Saturday’s contest bolstered by their 1-0 victory over Manchester United last time out, with defender Joachim Andersen providing the decisive strike.
Hodgson, aware of his dwindling resources, said: “We are going to be dependent now, really, on the players who have come in to take their places in doing a good job, which to be fair they have been doing.
“I’m very satisfied with the way the team has been playing, and we’re a squad, so there is no point complaining about injuries. They do happen and you must never feel sorry for yourself.
“One or two of the players who have come in, in the last two or three weeks, who have not necessarily played from the start, have come in and done exceptionally well. That is the way we have got to look at it.”
While Hodgson refused to set a timeframe for Eze’s return, he did concede that the injury was “serious” and “the severity of the injury might suggest it’s as long as that.”
Michael Olise, among Hodgson’s other key attackers, has not played this season as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury of his own, while summer signing Jefferson Lerma – also out with same problem – remains ruled out.
Odsonne Edouard, yet another member of Palace’s hamstring woe-club, has progressed and could start against Forest at Selhurst Park, while Brazilian Matheus Franca is still working his way back to match fitness, but is “no longer injured”.
Dean Henderson, James Tomkins and Naouirou Ahamada all remain unavailable.
Massimiliano Allegri says victory is the only option for Juventus in their Turin derby with Torino on Saturday.
Juve host their city rivals in Serie A hoping to hang on to the coat-tails of the two Milan clubs at the top of the table.
They are also looking to bounce back from a disappointing 0-0 draw with Atalanta last week and Allegri says it is important to get bragging rights in a “special” encounter.
“We are not satisfied with a result other than victory,” he said in a press conference reported on the club’s website.
“It will be a derby and these are always special matches. In managing the ball and passing, we will undoubtedly have to play a better match than the one in Bergamo, aware of the value of the team we will face.
“We face a Torino that is difficult to play against, an aggressive team led by Ivan Juric who is an excellent coach. For him, the results he achieved and the growth of his players speak for themselves.
Midfielder Paul Pogba remains suspended amid reports he has tested positive for testosterone in his B sample.
Juventus will also be without Dusan Vlahovic and Federico Chiesa but Moise Kean and Kenan Yildiz will be involved.
“Moise Kean is doing well and will play.” Allegri added.
“It’s sad not to have Chiesa and Vlahovic because they are doing very well, but these things are part of the game. Kenan Yildiz is ready to play like everyone else who is available.
“On Saturday I will see, the derby is important and above all for us it could serve as another step forward in the standings. We are calm.
“In terms of goalscorers we have Kean, Arek Milik and Yildiz, in midfield we have Adrien Rabiot, who is a goalscorer, Nicolo Fagioli and Fabio Miretti who will start to score goals soon, and then several defenders who are always dangerous on dead-ball situations.”
Turin is black and white if recent results are anything to go by, with Juventus unbeaten in their last 17 meetings with Torino going back to 2015.
Their head coach Ivan Juric has seen his team push Juve close in recent years, without being able to get over the line.
And he hopes that changes on Saturday.
“An aggressive Juve awaits us, we hope to repeat what we have done in the past in terms of performances but with a different result,” he said on his club’s official website.
Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins has signed a new long-term contract at the club.
The forward, recalled to the England squad this week, is believed to have penned a five-year deal and has scored 50 goals for Villa since joining from Brentford in 2020.
He netted 15 times last season to help Villa return to Europe and had been in talks over a new deal for around six months.
Boss Unai Emery said: “He is always very demanding, to learn and improve. He is doing that here. I have been working with him more or less for one year and today is the same as the first day, our method in the training ground.”
Watkins has scored seven times this season, including two hat-tricks, ahead of Sunday’s trip to Wolves.
Aberdeen captain Graeme Shinnie believes they have the squad and mentality to shake off their European exertions and frustration and deal with the visit of St Johnstone on Sunday.
The Dons were looking to follow up a hat-trick of domestic wins when they hosted HJK Helsinki in the Europa Conference League on Thursday but fell behind against the run of play and had to settle for a 1-1 draw after Bojan Miovski levelled.
Shinnie said: “We were a bit deflated. It felt like we played well so the frustration and disappointment is not having won the game.
“We gave away a cheap goal again and I didn’t think we started well after half-time.
“We wanted to come out fast again and set the tempo but we kind of did the opposite and we let them have a bit of control and they took confidence from that.
“We gave away one of the few chances they had on the night and they took it.
“The overriding emotion was frustration that we haven’t won a game we were pretty dominant in over the 90 minutes.
“We had a couple of good chances to win it, I had one on the edge of the area, Duk had a one-on-one, and you need to take those chances to win these ties.
“It’s frustrating but we are unbeaten in four now and we move on to Sunday. If we get a win then it’s been a good period to go into the international break.”
St Johnstone are looking for their first victory in 10 matches.
Shinnie said: “With us having a European game they will fancy it after us putting in so much effort, but we are kind of used to that now and have the squad to control that.
“If we can play to our capacity, we should win the game.”
Mikel Arteta said Arsenal’s Community Shield victory over Manchester City was important for confidence but admitted the Gunners will need to be “at our best in every department for 100 minutes” if they are to repeat that success in the Premier League this weekend.
Arsenal beat Pep Guardiola’s treble-winning side on penalties in August after Leandro Trossard’s dramatic stoppage-time equaliser cancelled out Cole Palmer’s opener at Wembley.
However, that result between the teams has been the exception in recent years. City had beaten Arsenal in eight successive matches heading into the Community Shield, while Guardiola’s men are currently on a 12-match winning streak against the Gunners in the Premier League.
In fact, Arsenal have to go back to 2015 for the last time they claimed victory over City in the league, and Arteta knows what level of performance his side must produce on Sunday if they are to end that winless run.
“It was an important one for us (winning in Community Shield),” Arteta said.
“Having success against City is something you have to value, the way we played as well and it gave us confidence and a lift that we can beat them.
“One thing for certain is that we know we will have to be at our best in every department for 100 minutes and then we will have a chance.”
An Arsenal victory this weekend would see them move two points clear of current leaders City, but Arteta dismissed any suggestion it would be a season-defining result.
“It will be a big boost energy and confidence-wise but apart from that and the three points, nothing else,” he said.
Arteta highlighted Guardiola’s strengths as a manager and noted his fellow Spaniard’s decision to play Bernardo Silva at left-back in previous meetings was unexpected.
And the Gunners boss, who was Guardiola’s assistant at City between 2016 and 2019, credited his compatriot’s willingness to change tactics in games.
“Every year we have new tools, new players and different things,” Arteta said.
“We know each other, we expect things from each other but it is down to the players.
“I didn’t expect him to play Bernardo at left-back.
“Yes (expect Pep do make big changes in games) and he does that in big games.
“He’s done it this season as well. Against different opponents he does different things and that’s a big quality of them (City) because they can change.
“They can do this during the game, at half-time and that’s a strength, they can dominate.”
Although City have dominated this fixture in recent years, Arteta took encouragement from his side’s performance in the Emirates clash between the two on New Year’s Day 2022.
Bukayo Saka gave Arsenal the lead but City levelled through Riyad Mahrez’s penalty and, with the Gunners down to 10 men following Gabriel’s red card, snatched a stoppage-time winner through Rodri.
Arteta, who missed the fixture following a positive Covid test, believes that match was a big step forward for Arsenal and that they learnt some valuable lessons.
He said: “I could feel it from home and it was a huge step. It was a big one, with the way we played but we ended up losing the game and took some big lessons from it as well, but a lot of positives.”
AC Milan head for promoted Genoa on Saturday desperate to make up for drawing another Champions League blank in midweek.
The Rossoneri make the trip to the Luigi Ferraris Stadium having won their last three Serie A fixtures against Verona, Cagliari and Lazio to remain level on points with leaders and derby rivals Inter at the top of the table.
However, they do so still reflecting on the disappointment of Wednesday night’s 0-0 draw at Borussia Dortmund in their second Group F fixture, with the first against Newcastle at San Siro having similarly ended in stalemate.
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Manager Stefano Pioli said after the Dortmund game: “Many things we do are positive, but we have not been concrete and ruthless. I want to start again from the many positive things we are doing.”
Pioli and his players were unable to travel back to Italy from Germany on Thursday and so have effectively had just one day to prepare for the clash with Genoa.
They will still be without midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who suffered an adductor muscle injury during the 2-0 victory over Lazio.
Ismael Bennacer and Rade Krunic are also out and the forthcoming international break could hardly be better timed for Pioli’s walking wounded, with Juventus, Paris St Germain and Napoli waiting in the wings in back-to-back games.
Opposite number Alberto Gilardino will hope his side can take advantage of any fatigue to build upon a 4-1 home victory over Roma and a 2-2 draw at Udinese.
However, Gilardino is sweating on the fitness of star striker Mateo Retegui, who suffered a knee injury in Udine.
The manager told a press conference: “Retegui still has pain in his knee, but we’ll wait 24 hours to see if there is a possibility of recovery without risking the rest of his season.
“Everyone’s desire is to see him on the pitch, but we need to be clear in our assessments.”
Whatever team he is able to field, Gilardino knows the task they face will be a tough one.
He added: “We will have to limit the percentage of errors on our part as much as possible. We are facing a strong team, both the starting XI and those who will take over, all players with important characteristics both in terms of technical qualities and physicality.
“I will ask the boys for a huge effort. The important thing will be to be united.”
Boss Unai Emery has ruled out a top-four charge despite Aston Villa’s strong start to the season.
Villa go to Wolves on Sunday sitting fifth in the Premier League ahead of the weekend’s fixtures.
They are the second top scorers in the division with 18 goals, one behind Brighton who they smashed 6-1 last weekend.
But despite Villa’s form, Emery dismissed any hopes of challenging for the Champions League.
“To be in the top four is very difficult and we are not contenders. There are other teams who are contenders for those positions,” he said.
“When we are in the possibility to get those positions in the table, we have to be very demanding and believe. We have to build a team, trying to get better each match and feel strong with our structure.
“The next consequences are that we will feel comfortable playing and being confident trying to face the top seven teams, being a contender for that.”
Jacob Ramsey (foot) and Alex Moreno (hamstring) remain out, along with long-term absentees Emi Buendia and Tyrone Mings (both knee).
“For Sunday, no, they are not going to be available,” said Emery.
“Jacob will need time again to recover his injury. He has an injury and he’s not going to be available.
“Alex was progressing, he was working with the team, he was doing training sessions, but he needed to stop because he wasn’t feeling good. Now, he’s feeling better and hopefully after the break he could be with the group, training every day.
“Moussa Diaby and Boubacar Kamara are going to work with the team tomorrow. In case they feel good, they could be playing but it’s not 100 per cent.”
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has stressed that “every single game is important” as the Blues look to continue their winning run at Burnley.
They have secured back-to-back wins after beating Brighton 1-0 in the League Cup and seeing off west London rivals Fulham 2-0 in the Premier League on Monday.
Up next for Chelsea is a trip to Turf Moor to face the Clarets and Pochettino knows how tough a match it will be.
He told a press-conference: “Every single game is important for us, for us it’s two different things.
“One is to get the result we need, another is to settle and help the players to arrive at their best to get their best form that they can.
“Every single game in the Premier League is important and of course tomorrow is going to be a tough game because it’s a team who run a lot and try to play. Of course it’s going to be tough but we go there to try to win the three points.”
Monday’s victory saw Mykhailo Mudryk score his first goal for the club before Armando Broja added another to break a three-game winless run in the Premier League for the Blues, who are currently 11th in the table.
With two consecutive wins under their belt, Pochettino is hopeful his side can keep the momentum going into the international break.
“Now after two victories it’s important to keep thinking the same way – that we need to improve,” he added.
“We were losing games and not getting what we deserved, I think. Keeping the balance and keeping the belief was important too.
“I think the most important is the journey, we know the way we need to keep improving, we’ve won two games but it’s still nothing so far with the way we wanted to play and to perform.
“To go into the international break with a different feeling than the last international break is really important for us to win the game, but we need to stay calm.
“We have been preparing really well for the game and of course we are going to arrive in a condition to compete against a team who is doing well also and trying to be better than them.”
Pochettino provided positive news on defender Reece James, who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury he picked up in training last month.
The Argentinian confirmed James has been in training, but the England international will miss the Burnley clash following a suspension and fine after admitting to abusing a match official during last month’s defeat to Aston Villa.
“I think he was training with the group, it’s a shame that he is suspended and banned for tomorrow,” Pochettino said.
“We are really happy in the way he’s recovering, he’s doing well and we hope after the international break he can be available. He is available but after the suspension (is served).”
Chelsea are still without several players with Benoit Badiashile and Trevoh Chalobah both in partial team training, while Ben Chilwell, Marcus Bettinelli, Wesley Fofana, Christopher Nkunku and Romeo Lavia are all in different stages of their respective rehabilitation programmes.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti insists only a top-drawer performance from his players will suffice if they are to overcome Osasuna on Saturday.
Los Blancos top LaLiga with seven wins and one defeat from their opening eight games, one point above their bitter rivals Barcelona.
Osasuna are the visitors on Saturday, with the team from Pamplona unbeaten on their last two encounters at the Santiago Bernabeu, and Italian coach Ancelotti knows Real cannot afford to have an off-day.
“We want to finish (the period heading into the international break) well, taking into account that Osasuna is a difficult rival and has always played good games here,” he told a press conference.
“Plus, we haven’t beaten them the last two times. We have to be at our best to get the three points.
“We will try to play well and play fast football, with intensity, to find offensive solutions as soon as possible.
“Osasuna is a team that defends very well and will try to throw us off to hurt us. We must attack with intelligence and avoid risks behind.”
Real recovered from losing 3-1 in the Madrid derby to Atletico on September 24 to record three straight wins in all competitions, including a 3-2 away victory at Napoli in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Ancelotti said Austrian defender David Alaba was not fit to return due to an adductor problem.
“We have the option of (Ferland) Mendy or (Aurelien) Tchouameni . We will adapt well and defensive work depends on the team, not on individuals,” Ancelotti added.
“We have tested Tchouameni in these two days of training and he has a defensive attitude – he is good in duels and heading. Mendy is a defender and is used to playing on the backline.”
Ancelotti said Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior was “happy to play” despite his appearance in court in Valencia this week to testify against three fans accused of racially abusing him.
The Italian said he did not think Croatian playmaker Luka Modric was considering leaving the club in January.
“He thinks he is an important player and so do we,” Ancelotti said.
“He is going to be very important this season and we are happy with him. I speak with Modric every day and he continues to maintain high motivation and enthusiasm to contribute something to the team.
“What he brings to the locker room no one can bring. He has charisma and is important even when he doesn’t play. That he does not play affects him and all of us who love Modric . He played 30 minutes in Naples and that means a lot to us.”
Osasuna coach Jagoba Arrasate said his team would have to “roll up their sleeves and get together”.
“We are going to be defending for a long time, we are going to be subdued, and we have to have a good defensive organisation, we have to be forceful and we need our goalkeeper to be good,” he said.
“All that is clear, but we also need to let go, have the ball, make them run backwards so that the game has two directions, not just one.”
Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou has acknowledged Liverpool were denied a “legitimate goal” in last weekend’s match but defended VAR operator Darren England.
Spurs claimed a dramatic 2-1 victory over Liverpool last Saturday, but the result was mired in controversy after a Luis Diaz effort in the 34th-minute was incorrectly ruled out for offside.
The incident was reviewed but VAR operator England mistakenly believed the on-field decision had been to award the goal and, after establishing Diaz had been onside, England told referee Simon Hooper “check complete” before Tottenham resumed the game with the score 0-0.
The Professional Game Match Officials Limited subsequently admitted a “significant human error” occurred and released the audio this week, while on Wednesday Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp stated a replay may be the best solution even though he admitted it was unlikely.
Ahead of Saturday’s trip to Luton, Postecoglou said: “The facts of it are that it was a legitimate goal Liverpool scored that wasn’t given.
“You kind of look at why it’s not given because that’s the first thing you question: obviously something has broken down.
“It became clear it wasn’t an integrity issue, it wasn’t a misappropriation of the law, it was an error in communication, a mistake, a mistake which cost Liverpool.
“I get that it’s an unusual one in that it’s never happened before, but at the same time we’re in a new space anyway with technology where I think they’ll be a lot of firsts with the way we deal with these things.”
The fallout from the incident has seen referee England reportedly told he will not officiate another Liverpool match this season, but Postecoglou railed against critics of the official.
“I don’t know if that’s been decided,” the Spurs boss added. “I’d be surprised if they have gone that way.
“It’s a significant error but it’s a human being that’s made that error. I don’t think that there’s anything that needs to go too far reaching
“From my perspective, when I listened to that audio, saying ‘check complete’, someone obviously thought it was a good way of finalising things and it’s worked up until now.
“I would have thought the logical thing is to say ‘goal for Liverpool’ but I’m saying that with the ignorance of not knowing how it’s truly set up.
“When listening to that you probably think there’s better ways of communicating a clear decision in such a big situation.
“I hope that’s what they’re addressing, not the individual that made the mistake. I think that’s a dereliction of the game.
“That’s like me hanging out a player to dry just because he made a mistake. My role is to go in and help that player to improve not say ‘now you’re never playing again’.”
Spurs’ focus will turn to their Saturday lunchtime kick-off at Luton and another victory for Postecoglou’s team would send them top of the Premier League until Sunday’s meeting between current leaders Manchester City and third-placed Arsenal.
James Maddison (knee) and Son Heung-min (groin) have been declared fit to play but Manor Solomon (knee) has joined a growing injury list that contains Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring), Rodrigo Bentancur (knee), Brennan Johnson (hamstring) and Ivan Perisic (knee).
Tottenham should have Bryan Gil and Giovani Lo Celso back on the bench after groin and quad issues respectively.
Postecoglou said: “If we win we go top of the table for 24 hours but who cares? We’ve got to win.
“It’s a tough game, our focus is on putting on a performance and playing at our best because if we don’t, it won’t matter where we’re sitting on the competition ladder, it’ll be us focusing on a poor performance.”
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