'Nonsense' Newcastle penalty denies dominant Tottenham

Wilson's injury-time penalty after VAR review secured Newcastle a 1-1 draw at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Tottenham Hotspur's English defender Eric Dier gestures during the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on September 27, 2020.  - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications.
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Newcastle United manager Steve Bruce said the stoppage time penalty that allowed his side to snatch a 1-1 draw at Tottenham Hotspur was "nonsense" in another Premier League clash decided by the controversial interpretation of the handball rule.

Spurs had led through a 25th-minute Lucas Moura goal and Newcastle had not managed a shot on target but deep into stoppage time Magpies substitute Andy Carroll and Eric Dier challenged for a ball and the forward's header brushed the arm of the Spurs defender.

A VAR review led referee Peter Bankes to look at the incident, in which Dier had his back to the ball as he jumped with Carroll, and point to the spot.

Wilson duly converted as a fuming Jose Mourinho could be seen storming down the tunnel before the full-time whistle and a member of Spurs' coaching staff was shown a red card for protesting.

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson said on Saturday the spate of penalties being awarded for contentious handball decisions was "ruining" football.

"I can understand why Spurs will go berserk and Roy Hodgson reacted like he did. It is a total nonsense," said Bruce. "We should be jumping through hoops, but I would be devastated if that was us."

Mourinho complained that Tottenham were not being treated equally to other clubs after a similar incident when the ball struck Newcastle captain Jamaal Lascelles on the arm was not punished.

"We know there are boxes and boxes, there are boxes for Tottenham and boxes for other teams. So we kept them away from the box and, on one occasion we couldn't, we lost two points," said Mourinho.

"We deserve the points and deserve respect. At this moment we don't have the points and we don't have the respect."

For all their complaints, Mourinho's men will also have to reflect on not taking their chances before the break.

Karl Darlow in the visitors' goal was busy from the third minute as he clawed out Giovani lo Celso's free kick and got up to block Harry Kane's follow-up effort.

The England captain tested the Newcastle stopper again with a diving header moments later.

Kane was the creator when Spurs did finally break the deadlock on 25 minutes.

Moura's place is most at risk when Gareth Bale - who was watching from the director's box - is fit to return, but reminded Mourinho of the threat he can post by bundling home his first Premier League goal since December from Kane's low cross.

Son Heung-min then hit the woodwork twice with shots from outside the box, while Darlow made another fantastic save from Kane's long-range effort to crucially keep Newcastle's deficit down to just one before half time.

Spurs' attacking flow was interrupted in the second-half without Son, who was replaced at half time and is now an injury doubt for Tottenham's hectic week ahead as they face Chelsea in the League Cup on Tuesday, Maccabi Haifa in Europa League qualifying on Thursday and travel to Manchester United in the Premier League next Sunday.

But on a weekend already marked by complaints over the handball law, Spurs were stung despite Dier clearly having no intent to handle the ball.

Hugo Lloris got a hand to Wilson's penalty, but could not keep it out, prompting Mourinho to storm off in disgust.