Tottenham legend Graham Roberts believes that Premier League referees are conspiring against Spurs following events in the North London Derby.
Speaking to talkSPORT, the club icon claimed that referees have an agenda against Spurs ever since Mauricio Pochettino confronted Mike Dean last season following a game against Burnley, and that has been the reason as to why Tottenham seemingly don’t get decisions go there way despite the introduction of VAR.
Roberts said: “The referees over the last year, even since Pochettino confronted Mike Dean at Burnley, have been right against Tottenham. I honestly believe that 100 per cent. I think what they’ve done is all ganged up and said to each other, ‘just don’t give them anything’. That’s obviously what’s happening.
Spurs were awarded a penalty in the first half when Granit Xhaka dived in late on Heung-min Son, resulting in Harry Kane putting the visiting side 2-0 up.
Yet many Tottenham fans and pundits, including Roberts, believed that a second spot-kick should have been awarded when the England captain was brought down in the second half by Sokratis, but replays of the incident clearly show that Kane went to ground easily and that he was dragging the Greek defender down with him.
Roberts added about the penalty incidents: “He’s got to give that penalty [the one that was given for Xhaka’s tackle on Son]. When somebody kicks you in front of the referee he’s got to give it. But the Harry Kane one at the end, that was 100 per cent a penalty.
“When you’ve played the game, you know players lean into you. Harry is in front of the player, he’s cut across him, he’s leant into him and the lad has just laid on top of him. If he didn’t do that, Harry gets a shot in.”