Former Premier League referee Mike Dean has admitted he failed to correct a mistake in Chelsea’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur last season to prevent his friend Anthony Taylor from getting more which is “unfortunate”.
Dean, 55, was the VAR official at Stamford Bridge in August when Cristian Romero pulled Marc Cucurella’s hair in front of a Spurs corner which Harry Kane delivered to level the game. Two managers were also booked – Chelsea’s Thomas Tuchel and Spurs’ Antonio Conte – after referee Taylor disallowed Rodrigo Bentancur for a challenge on Kai Havertz.
Dean now admits he made a “bad call” in not sending Taylor on to review his decision before Kane’s stoppage-time equaliser.
Speaking on the Up Front podcast with Simon Jordan, Dean said: “I missed Chelsea’s stupid hair-pulling against Tottenham which was pathetic in my view.
“One of them where if I had time again, what would I do? I will send Anthony (Taylor) to the screen. I think I knew when I sent him on the screen… he warned the two managers, he had a hell of a game, it was a tough game until the end.
“I said to Anthony afterwards: ‘I don’t want to send you to the screen after what happened in the game’.
“I don’t want to send him because he is a partner as well as a referee and I don’t think I want to send him because I don’t want more sadness than before.”
Dean was removed from VAR duties for two months and has since retired from the game. He said his decision not to tell Taylor to look into the Cucurella incident had a big impact on him.
‘That was a big mistake,’ he said on the podcast. for me.
“I got in the car on Friday and I was scared on Saturday. I thought, ‘I hope nothing happens’. I was sitting in the seat freaking out.”
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