´Goal-line technology doesn´t make mistakes like VAR´ – Mourinho accepts being denied by finest of m

Jose Mourinho was able to accept Tottenham missing out on a win over Watford by a matter of millimetres but hinted at dissatisfaction with VAR after a goalless draw at Vicarage Road.

Spurs have gone four league games without a win after Saturday’s stalemate, which saw Paulo Gazzaniga save a Troy Deeney penalty before Tottenham were denied a late winner as Ignacio Pussetto cleared Erik Lamela’s effort just before it fully crossed the line.

Goal-line technology showed Lamela’s shot was only a couple of millimetres from crossing the line entirely.

Mourinho, though, had no problem with missing out on all three points by such a fine margin, instead indicating he had issues with decisions made by the other technology in use.

He told BT Sport: “I talk about Tottenham’s performance separate from refereeing and VAR decisions because I prefer not to comment.

“We start very, very well. We were very dominant in the first half. In the second half the game was more 50-50 and then we tried with the ammunition we have, we tried in the last period to bring energy, more depth in midfield with Gedson [Fernandes], with more, more vision with quality from [Christian] Eriksen.

Saving a goal with 10.04mm to spare… #WATTOT https://t.co/eaF20hcgWs pic.twitter.com/Km9UF103Yo

— Premier League (@premierleague) January 18, 2020

“We were two millimetres from winning the match, overall it was a good match.

“That’s the way it is. I know it’s a couple of millimetres, but the goal-line technology doesn’t make mistake like VAR makes. We have to accept that by two millimetres it wasn’t a goal.”

Asked if he was referring to an apparent high challenge from Etienne Capoue on Japhet Tanganga when speaking about VAR, Mourinho said: “There are various decisions, but I leave for the pundits, I leave for the referee specialists. I prefer not to speak more than I did.”

The draw saw Spurs dealt another setback in their bid to secure Champions League football for next season.

Despite having only seven shots to Watford’s 15, Mourinho felt defeat would have been overly harsh on his side.

“I think we deserved to win this match. To lose would be too much of a punishment for the boys,” said Mourinho.

“I think they do good work and I think Paulo … it was the only save he had to make in the 90 minutes.”