Friday 2 January 2015 19:19, UK
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho accused referee Phil Dowd of being “too slow” and missing key decisions that cost his side in the 5-3 derby defeat to Tottenham.
Mourinho, who spoke of a "campaign” against his team after being held to a draw at Southampton on Sunday, took specific issue with a potential handball by Jan Vertonghen in the first half, with his team 1-0 to the good.
The Blues have dropped 10 points in their last eight games and taken one point from six over the last two, and their lead at the Premier League summit has now vanished.
Mourinho said: “I'm more shocked at other things than to concede five goals. I am shocked that, in three days, we’ve had two incredible decisions that punished us in a very hard way.
“Eden Hazard told me there was not a foul or a red card when he was fouled in the second half but Mr Dowd is too slow to go with that ball – he was 40 yards away.
He's being punished by opponents, match-after-match, and not being protected by referees. Maybe one day we won't have Eden Hazard.
“He made the right decision, so that’s good, but he couldn't make the decision that was 10 metres away in the first half – a crucial moment of the game.
“With the result 1-0, one clear action could make it 2-0. Normally at 2-0, the result and the history of the game would be different.
“Managers and players, we win and lose but Mr Dowd didn't lose. This is the type of decision that is very difficult to accept.”
Chelsea were undone by arguably Tottenham’s best performance of the season and another stellar show from striker Harry Kane, who scored twice to take his tally in all competitions to 17 for the season.
But Mourinho accused Spurs of being the next in a long line of teams kicking Hazard unfairly and has suggested the player may one day leave England if it continues.
“People in love with football in this country must be in love with Eden Hazard,” Mourinho said.
“But he's being punished by opponents, match after match, and not being protected by referees. Maybe one day we won't have Eden Hazard.
“It's one, two, three, four, five, 10 aggressive fouls against him. They kick and kick and kick, and the kid resists. He's a very honest guy in the way he plays, but that's another problem.”
