EPL: Spurs boss Mourinho blasts VAR decisions after defeat at Southampton

Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho has launched a broadside at Video Assistant Referees (VAR) after his team's New Year's Day defeat to Southampton, saying remote officials have more power than on-field referees over big match decisions.

Spurs lost 1-0 at Southampton with a spectacular Danny Ings goal separating the two sides but Mourinho was fuming over a potential foul on midfielder Dele Alli inside the box in the first half that was not assessed by VAR.

"For me the referees are not the referees," Mourinho told reporters on Wednesday.

"I think the VAR should change their name because Video Assistant Referee is not true. It should be VR -- Video Referee - because they are the referees.

"You see the refs on pitch and they not the refs, they are the assistants. The other guys in the office are the ones who make the big decisions. What I know is the Dele Alli penalty was a penalty and the VAR didn't interfere."

Mourinho's anger was compounded when VAR assessed another incident where Saints goalkeeper Alex McCarthy dived at Alli's feet to get to a loose ball and got there first.

Mourinho said the fact that VAR interfered in the second decision, which he acknowledged was not a penalty, was meant to take the focus away from the first decision which should have been analysed instead.

"The direction it is taking us in is really, really wrong," the Portuguese manager added.

The result left Spurs in sixth place, six points behind fourth-placed Chelsea who occupy the final Champions League spot.

Tottenham Hotspur suffered a double injury blow in the 1-0 defeat at Southampton with Harry Kane and Tanguy Ndombele both forced off at St Mary's.

While the result was bad, the biggest worry for Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho was the sight of top scorer Kane pulling up with a left hamstring injury deep into the second half after stretching to score a goal that was ruled out for offside.

Kane, scorer of 11 Premier League goals this season, went straight down the tunnel, leaving Tottenham with scant striking options as Son Heung-min was serving the final match of his three-game ban for a red card in the defeat by Chelsea.

He was later seen leaving the stadium using crutches.

Asked about the injuries, Mourinho said: "Tanguy Ndombele, I don't know. I imagine this is (his) 10th injury of the season. They stop him to play. It doesn't give him continuity," he said.

"Harry Kane plays every minute, he plays all the time. It might be big, it might be small. For sure he will be out.

"It is negative, hamstring is always negative. Is it a tear, is it a small thing, is it a contraction? At this moment I cannot say."

Kane has suffered several lengthy injury lay-offs in the last few seasons. Last season he missed a month after damaging ankle ligaments and then suffered a similar injury in April which kept him out until the Champions League final.

A third defeat in Mourinho's nine Premier League games in charge at Spurs further undermined the resurgence his arrival produced and left Tottenham in sixth spot, six points behind fourth-placed Chelsea who drew with Brighton and Hove Albion earlier.

Mourinho said raiding the transfer market was not the answer though, now that the mid-season window is open.

"Come on, we need time to work. We need what we are not having. We need to focus on what we have," he said. "We are not looking to be the kings of the market. We are going to work.

"We see the bad result today which is the continuity of the last year. For 12 months, it has been very difficult to get results away from home.

"The work is not about buying, it is about working with the players on the pitch. It is something that is very difficult for us because we have no time to do it."

Pogba facing surgery after ankle problem resurfaces

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba is set to undergo surgery to treat an ankle problem, his coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said on Wednesday, predicting the France international will be out of action for around a month.

"We've had scans, it's nothing major but it's something that has to be sorted and dealt with within a time frame," Solskjaer told a news conference after United's 2-0 defeat at Arsenal, which Pogba played no part in.

"He's been advised to do it as soon as possible. We've been without him all season, it's a big blow but we hope he'll be back within a month."

Pogba, who has been linked frequently with a potential move away from United, spent over two months sidelined with an injury to his left ankle and has only made eight appearances for his club in all competitions.

The former Juventus midfielder returned to action as a substitute in United's 2-0 defeat at Watford and also featured in their 4-1 win against Newcastle United on Dec. 26.

He then did not travel to Burnley for a 2-0 win two days later. Solskjaer said then that he expected the 26-year-old to be in his squad at Arsenal, only to reveal before the match that he had hurt his ankle again.

Pogba's absence further weakens United's midfield after Scott McTominay hurt his knee in the win over Newcastle, ruling him out of action for around two months.

Pogba's future at United remains the subject of much transfer speculation, especially since recent comments from his agent Mino Raiola criticising the club.

"Now Pogba's problem is Manchester (United)," Raiola told the Italian newspaper, La Repubblica.

"It is a club out of touch with reality, without a sports project. I would no longer take anyone there. They would even ruin (Diego) Maradona, Pele and (Paolo) Maldini. Paul needs a club and a squad, one like Juventus was before."

United considering January reinforcements with Pogba, McTominay injured

Manchester United could be forced to recruit midfielders during the January transfer window with the injured Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay set for lengthy spells on the sidelines, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said on Wednesday.

Pogba is set to undergo surgery to treat an ankle problem that will rule the Frenchman out of action for around a month, while McTominay is out for longer with knee ligament damage sustained in last week's win over Newcastle United.

Pogba, who has been linked frequently with a potential move away from United, spent over two months sidelined with an injury to his left ankle and has only made eight appearances for his club in all competitions.

"We've had scans, it's nothing major but it's something that has to be sorted and dealt with within a time frame," Solskjaer told a news conference after United's 2-0 defeat at Arsenal, which Pogba played no part in.

"He's been advised to do it as soon as possible. We've been without him all season, it's a big blow.

"Scott will be out for a few months. He's been magnificent and we just hope that Paul can come back within a month or so... We've been suffering a little bit, especially in midfield and we've got to cope with it."

Solskjaer said the absence of the two influential midfielders would play a part in the club's decision-making process on whether to sign reinforcements this month.

"We've got loads of games and important games. But still, it's got to be right and that's the big point here," the Norwegian manager added.

"If it's available and if it's possible we'll do something, definitely. We're looking at one or two (potential signings)."

Pogba's future at United remains the subject of much transfer speculation, especially since recent comments from his agent Mino Raiola criticising the club.

"Now Pogba's problem is Manchester (United)," Raiola told the Italian newspaper, La Repubblica.

"It's a club out of touch with reality, without a sports project. I would no longer take anyone there. They would even ruin (Diego) Maradona, Pele and (Paolo) Maldini. Paul needs a club and a squad, one like Juventus was before."

Xhaka to stay at Arsenal, says Arteta

Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta has said Granit Xhaka will stay at the club after the Swiss midfielder produced a gritty performance to help his side to a 2-0 win over Manchester United on Wednesday.

Xhaka was in the firing line earlier in the season after he reacted furiously to fans booing him when he was substituted in a 2-2 draw at home to Crystal Palace in October.

The incident led to him being stripped of the captaincy and also saw him left out of the side by Arteta's predecessor Unai Emery for a month.

Xhaka has started six of Arsenal's last eight league games but British newspaper The Times reported on Tuesday that he was looking to leave in the January transfer window, saying the 27-year-old was targeting a move to Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin.

Arteta, however, said the midfielder has told him he wants to remain in north London, also praising him for his performance against United, which was Arsenal's first win in five matches and took them up to 10th in the standings.

"I think he's going to stay. I really like him. If we get him on board he can be a tremendous player for the football club," the Spanish coach told a news conference.

"I love the way he is, the way he lives his profession. He is a great football player. Today he was excellent at cutting out passes and he made a lot of great passes. I like how focused he is, he's willing to learn."

Arteta endured a difficult home debut, with Arsenal conceding two late goals to lose 2-1 to Chelsea on Sunday, but he was pleased to get off the mark and praised his players for how they reacted against United.

"I am very pleased with the performance and even more with the result. I said to the players what you transmit to the fans is up to you," he said.

"I want to say thank you so much to the fans because of the energy they brought."