Tuchel dismisses VAR official Dean’s belated apology for missing foul

Thomas Tuchel said he was unimpressed by the belated apology of the VAR official Mike Dean for missing the foul on Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella that preceded Tottenham’s late equaliser in last week’s absorbing 2-2 draw.

Dean wrote in his Daily Mail column: “I didn’t deem it a violent act” and that “upon reflection”, he should have asked the referee, Anthony Taylor, to visit his “pitchside monitor to take a look for himself” after Cucurella’s hair was pulled by Cristian Romero, the Spurs defender.

“I would not take that amount of time after I made a mistake like this to say I did a mistake,” said the Chelsea manager, who has been handed a suspended one-game touchline ban for his post-match skirmish with opposite number Antonio Conte, but will be present for Sunday afternoon’s match at Leeds.