Tottenham manager Igor Tudor sharply criticised the officials after Fulham’s early goal proved decisive in a 2-1 defeat at Craven Cottage, accusing Raul Jimenez of deliberately gaining an advantage in the build-up to Harry Wilson’s seventh-minute strike.
Television replays appeared to show Jimenez with both hands on Radu Dragusin’s back as they contested the ball, but following a VAR review the goal was allowed to stand. Match officials said the contact “did not meet the threshold for a foul.” Tudor said the decision was inconsistent with rulings made a week earlier, when Spurs had a goal disallowed in the 4-1 loss to Arsenal after Gabriel went down under a similar push from Randal Kolo Muani.
Tudor was furious after the game, which extended Tottenham’s losing run to four Premier League matches and intensified worries about their league position. He argued the contact was clear enough to affect the outcome and accused Jimenez of cheating rather than competing fairly for the ball. Tudor suggested that small amounts of contact that alter a duel’s outcome should be enough to overturn a goal.
He also emphasised he wanted to focus on his team’s performance rather than the refereeing. Tottenham have lost Tudor’s first two matches in charge, making him only the second Spurs manager to begin tenure with back-to-back defeats. The club sit 16th in the table, four points above the relegation zone, but Tudor said he did not want to dwell on relegation talk and instead highlighted shortcomings in running, defensive organisation and attacking quality.
Tudor said Tottenham are struggling to balance the need for creative players who can score with the defensive discipline required to stop conceding. He warned that when players are brought in to add quality they can leave gaps in defence and that the squad must find a formula that produces both goals and resilience. He also singled out work-rate and timing of duels, saying Fulham often arrived earlier and anticipated play better.
Fulham boss Marco Silva declined to criticise the officials and said he respected Tudor’s view, insisting his side deserved the victory. Silva pointed to the number of chances Fulham created and described the team performance as strong, adding that the scoreline could have been different given their opportunities.
Spurs’ fixtures before the March international break:
Thursday: Crystal Palace (H) – Premier League, 8pm kick-off
March 10: Atletico Madrid (A) – Champions League last 16 first leg, 8pm kick-off
March 15: Liverpool (A) – Premier League, 4.30pm kick-off
March 18: Atletico Madrid (H) – Champions League last 16 second leg, 8pm kick-off
March 22: Nottingham Forest (H) – Premier League, 2.15pm kick-off