Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho slams scrutiny over Harry Kane penalty: ‘You are confused!'

POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Dan Kilpatrick @Dan_KP4 November 2020

Jose Mourinho insists there should be no debate about Harry Kane's part in winning a penalty against Brighton and says those questioning the England captain should discuss Tottenham's rivals instead.

Keown accused Kane of "dangerous play" for appearing to back in to Lallana as the pair came together under a high ball.

Kane converted the penalty after VAR Jon Moss overruled the referee, who had initially awarded a free-kick on the edge of 18-yard box.

Mourinho has accused his Spurs players of being "too nice" and suggested they must be more streetwise, but in a passionate rant he insisted the media "were confused" amid the debate over Kane's actions.

"I never spoke about penalties, that's not part of the things we want to improve," the Spurs manager said.

"I’m speaking to you [media] in general: you are confused.

"Because you could be speaking about some Manchester United players, you could be speaking about some Man City players, you could be speaking about some Liverpool players, you could be speaking about some Chelsea players and you're speaking about Harry Kane?

"He was in a position to control the ball in a dangerous position and Lallana came in a very reckless action and committed a foul.

"What are you speaking about being clever or being not clever? Being clever is to hold the ball and shoot and score. It was a foul.

"Direct free-kick or penalty. It's for the VAR to decide, the referee to decide. What are you speaking about, being clever with that? It is not being clever.

“Harry Kane is there to score goals. He just wants to control the ball. He sees the ball in the air, he uses his body to protect and Lallana was reckless. He made a mistake. Period."

Tottenham striker Harry Kane scored from the spot against Brighton after a challenge by Adam Lallana
POOL/AFP via Getty Images

With Spurs leading 1-0, referee Graham Scott declined to overrule Tariq Lamptey's equaliser, despite Solly March appearing to foul Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the build-up.

Scott watched the incident back on the pitch-side monitor at the VAR's recommendation but stuck with his decision of no foul before Gareth Bale scored the winner for Spurs.

Mourinho went on: "If you want to speak about that game, you have to speak about something that happened that could have a direct impact on the result of the game, which was their goal. There is no more story."

The incident came in the same weekend that Liverpool's Mohamed Salah was accused of going to ground too easily to win a penalty in the win over West Ham, and Mourinho believes Tottenham's "big-six" rivals are guiltier than Kane of questionable play.

He continued: "What are you speaking about us? Speak about Liverpool, speak about Man City, speak about Man United.

Jose Mourinho is perplexed by the scrutiny over Kane’s role in earning that spot-kick
PA

"Speak about these penalties that you see the clever guy that comes [near] somebody and blows [on them] and they are on the floor.

"Don’t speak about Harry Kane. When I say my team has to be ready to compete, I’m not speaking about that.

"I’m speaking about Brighton [deciding] to play Dan Burn as a striker for the last ten minutes and my team to press high and don't let Burn put one foot in our box. That’s what I mean."

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