Richarlison told VAR denying goal for Tottenham vs Nottingham Forest ‘really sad’

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Alvin Martin found it ‘really sad’ that VAR denied Richarlison a goal as Tottenham Hotspur hosted Nottingham Forest. The Brazilian thought he had broken the deadlock on Saturday.

Spurs welcomed the Reds to north London in the Premier League as they sought to bounce back from crashing out of the Champions League. Antonio Conte also named Richarlison in the Tottenham starting XI, having frustrated the Brazilian by omitting him this Wednesday.

Richarlison has seldom started for Spurs since switching Merseyside for the capital back in the summer. Tottenham paid Everton an initial £50m, rising to £60m after add-ons, for the 25-year-old. But Nottingham Forest only marked his 13th start from 26 appearances so far.

VAR denies Richarlison his debut Premier League goal for Tottenham Hotspur

Conte has rarely unleashed Richarlison with the forward only offering two goals and three assists through 25 matches before facing Nottingham Forest. He had also not yet scored in the Premier League for Spurs through 17 matches or laid on a single assist since October 1.

Richarlison offered assists against Nottingham Forest on August 28, Fulham on September 3 and at Arsenal in October. While his only goals under Conte had come in Spurs’ opening Champions League Group D tie against Marseille on September 7 as they sealed a 2-0 win.

Yet Richarlison thought he finally had a debut Premier League for Tottenham as they faced Nottingham Forest. The 42-cap Brazil international had the ball in the back of the net after three minutes. Oliver Skipp did well to find the forward, who unleashed a delightful finish.

But VAR Darren England, eventually, spoiled Richarlison’s party after a review lasting two minutes and seven seconds. The official ultimately adjudged the attacker to have started his run from an offside position as Skipp passed. Yet he seemed level with the last defender.

Darren England left Alvin Martin with a bad taste in his mouth

VAR England saw the tightest of margins to deny Richarlison a first Premier League goal for Tottenham against Nottingham Forest. The decision – and the time the official took – left a bad taste in Martin’s mouth with the former West Ham United centre-back not impressed.

“Incredible,” Martin told talkSPORT. “I don’t know how it takes that long to come to that conclusion. It’s really sad to see a strike like that chalked off. It was a memorable move, a memorable bit of skill and there is something not right about it.”