Cristian Stellini, Tottenham Hotspurs’ acting head coach, defended Harry Kane after the forward was accused of cheating during his team’s 1-1 draw away to Everton.
Kane sparked a touchline melee in the 58th minute which resulted in Abdoulaye Doucoure raising a hand and striking the face of the England captain, who then fell to the ground.
There was fury from the home crowd who perceived Kane to be playacting and berated him with chants of “cheat” when he later stepped up to dispatch a penalty awarded after Cristian Romero was fouled by Michael Keane.
Keane, the Everton centre-back, would respond with a stunning 90th-minute thunderbolt from 30 yards to equalise the scores and secure a precious point for Everton. Parity in player numbers had also been restored when Lucas Moura went for a studs-first tackle on the Everton goalscorer and got himself sent off only six minutes after coming on as a substitute.
At the final whistle, Kane was booed but Stellini, in his first match in charge since the sacking of Antonio Conte, said: “It is normal that the fans are unhappy but in my opinion it was a clear red card. That happens sometimes, but the fans have to realise the situation.
“The decision was taken and I think it was a good decision. I thought both red cards were red cards. The tackle from Lucas was dangerous and the hand clearly on the face of Harry. I was very close to the situation so it was clear.”
Everton will now lose the influential Doucoure for three matches as he became the first player to be red carded for the club this season. Sean Dyche added Kane had been responsible for instigating the incident near the touchline having first fouled Demarai Gray before unnecessarily tackling Doucoure after the whistle had blown.
“The sending-off, you cannot raise your hands,” Dyche said. “It is as simple as that. All I would say is that I couldn’t understand why Harry went for the challenge.
“The referee had blown the whistle, so it ended up making a moment out of something that wouldn’t have been a moment. Doucoure responds to that, but the actual outcome, you cannot do that.”
'We have to control game much better'
Everton’s response to going a man and goal down highlighted further the resilience that Dyche has started to instil since joining in January. The point took Everton into 15th place in the table, albeit level on points with four other teams in the congested fight to remain in the division.
Tottenham finished the evening back in the top four on goal difference but they are level on points with both Newcastle United and Manchester United who have both played two fewer games. Spurs have now dropped points from winning positions in the closing stages of their last two matches.
In Conte’s final game in charge, they conceded two goals in the final 15 minutes to draw away to bottom club Southampton, having led 3-1. The manner in which they lost their way once again will jar with the Spurs supporters.
Stellini lamented his team’s inability to control proceedings when they had numerical advantage and hinted at similar points made by Conte in the infamous broadside that led to his departure.
“We didn’t lead the game with the ball after the red card,” Stellini said. “We had the change to control the game better than we did and you have to do it with the ball because you have one extra player.
“You have to move the ball side to side but sometimes we were rushed and frantic and we have to improve in this aspect. With one extra player you have to do much better. It is a long process and we don’t change in one night.”