- Former ref Dean says avoided VAR call to save official 'more grief'

Former Premier League referee Mike Dean has revealed that he chose not to inform a fellow official about a missed call via the VAR system during a heated match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur last season. Dean explained that he wanted to spare his colleague from further criticism. During the match, Dean served as the Video Assistant Referee when Tottenham’s Cristian Romero pulled Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella to the ground by his hair at a corner. Despite the incident, the on-field referee did not award a foul, and Spurs went on to score a late equalizer. Reflecting on the situation, Dean admitted that he regretted not sending the on-field referee to the VAR screen. However, he explained that he refrained from doing so because he didn’t want to add to the pressure and criticism his colleague was already facing. Following the controversial match, Dean was removed from VAR duty for two months. In July, he announced his departure from the role and the referees’ body. Dean acknowledged his mistake and recognized that it was a significant error, particularly because the outcome of the match could have been different if Spurs hadn’t scored from the corner. The former referee admitted that the VAR role made him anxious and he dreaded matchdays, often hoping that nothing controversial would occur.