Ex-Premier League referee opens up on infamous hair-pulling incident in Chelsea vs Tottenham game

Mike Dean has admitted he failed to correct Anthony Taylor's mistake during the clash between Chelsea and Tottenham because the pair are "mates".

WHAT HAPPENED? During the ill-tempered clash between the Blues and Spurs last season, with the score at 2-1 in injury time, Cristian Romero pulled the hair of Marc Cucurella in the penalty area at a corner. No foul was given and Spurs won a second corner, from which Harry Kane scored a 96th-minute equaliser.

Dean has now admitted that he did not want to cause Taylor "any grief" by sending him to the VAR screen because of their friendship, so opted against intervening.

WHAT THEY SAID: Speaking on Up Front with Simon Jordan, Dean said: “I missed the stupid hair pull at Chelsea versus Tottenham, which was pathetic from my point of view.

“It’s one of them where if I had my time again, what would I do? I’d send Anthony [Taylor] to the screen. I think I knew if I did send him to the screen … he’s cautioned both managers, he’s had a hell of a game, it’s been such a tough game end to end.

“I said to Anthony afterwards: ‘I just didn’t want to send you to the screen after what has gone on in the game’. I didn’t want to send him up because he is a mate as well as a referee and I think I didn’t want to send him up because I didn’t want any more grief than he already had.

“Anthony, he is big and bald and ugly enough to know if he is going to the screen he is going to the screen for a reason. If someone pulls their hair now it’s dead easy. It’s just a brainwave by me, a really bad call by me, and it kind of affected me as VAR going forward.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Dean's admission is unlikely to lead to much sympathy from fans, particularly those who support Chelsea, given that Romero should have been sent off. The game between the two clubs ended with both managers at the time, Antonio Conte and Thomas Tuchel, being shown red cards.

WHAT NEXT? While Dean has retired, Taylor will referee Brighton's game against West Ham this weekend.