Tottenham fans fume over five-minute VAR check for Lucas Bergvall’s disallowed goal – just days after Ange Postecoglou hit out at the technology

Tottenham fans were left incensed on Sunday after Lucas Bergvall’s goal against Southampton was ruled out following a five-minute VAR check.

The midfielder fired home from close-range after Cristian Romero nodded the ball into his path from a free-kick.

But Romero was adjudged to have been a fraction offside as he won the header, which led to the VAR ruling out Tottenham’s goal.

The assistants at Stockley Park took an egregious four minutes and 53 seconds to decide that Romero was offside. 

The Premier League released a statement shortly after the incident to explain the decision.

They wrote on their @PLMatchCentre X account: ‘VAR checked the referee’s call of goal – and established that Romero was in an offside position in the build-up and recommended that the goal was disallowed.’

Cristian Romero was said to be in an offside position before he headed the ball onto Bergvall

Fans took to social media to express their anger at VAR after the unprecedented delay

However, fans were not necessarily frustrated at the outcome of the review, but rather how long it took the VAR to make a decision. Supporters took to social media to vent their frustrations around the incident.

One fan wrote: ‘Absolute joke. VAR is such a shambles.’

Another ranted: ‘Absolutely joke implementation of what VAR should be and is in other leagues. English reffing is the problem. A stinking club of protectionism, above all.’

A third commented: ‘Absolutely ludicrous.’

Sunday’s incident came just days after Ange Postecoglou said football was no longer the sport he knew and that he expects to watch fewer games and ‘find another hobby’ when his career is over.

The Australian had celebrated his side’s second-half equaliser against Chelsea in an animated fashion before it was ruled out following a VAR review. Spurs went on to lose the game 1-0 on Thursday night.

‘I am falling out of love with the game because I loved celebrating goals,’ Postecoglou said the next day.

‘Last night I did, and I’m paying a massive price for it. I’ll make sure I don’t do it again, but I think that’s kind of sad.’