Tottenham Hotspur were beaten 4-2 by Arsenal today.
Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino has told Football.London that he feels defender Jan Vertonghen was ‘unlucky’ to be sent off against Arsenal.
Spurs made the short trip to the Emirates Stadium to take on their bitter rivals on Sunday afternoon, and were completely overrun in the first 20 minutes, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scoring from the penalty spot after a Vertonghen handball.
Spurs did though battle back, as Eric Dier headed home a Christian Eriksen free kick before Son Heung-min was fouled, allowing Harry Kane to score a penalty.
However, that was as good as it got. Aubameyang scored a second to draw Arsenal level, before Alexandre Lacazette and Lucas Torreira scored to five Arsenal a 4-2 win.
It got even worse as Vertonghen was sent off late on, compounding a miserable day for Spurs in the red half of North London, and leave some to question Pochettino for starting the recently-returned defender over Toby Alderweireld.
Pochettino spoke about Vertonghen’s situation after the game, believing that he was unlucky to be sent off, as he did touch the ball in his foul on Lacazette for the second yellow card, believing that the ruling was a little harsh.
“No, I think it was a little bit unlucky, the situation,” said Pochettino. “The action he touched the ball. Then it was impossible, when you run to the ball how do you stop the run? You want to touch the ball and it was so quick how Lacazette arrived. Of course it was a dangerous action. Nothing to complain, for me it was unlucky in that situation, but of course in that moment in life on the pitch maybe it’s a sending off or a yellow card or red card. It’s how the referee assesses it. Of course it was dangerous but it was a little bit unlucky because he touched the ball first,” he added.
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