Tottenham Hotspur are set to lodge a formal complaint with Pro Ref after Leeds United defender Jayden Bogle escaped punishment for a challenge on Mathys Tel that left the forward unable to finish the first half — a match Spurs ultimately lost 1-0 at Elland Road.

Bogle caught Tel on his Achilles in what was judged a foul by referee John Brooks, yet the Leeds man walked away without so much as a yellow card. Tel was forced off before the interval, unable to continue after absorbing the impact of the challenge.

Four-minute VAR check, no red card

A VAR review lasting four minutes followed, with Tony Harrington assessing the incident. Harrington declined to recommend an on-field review, classifying the challenge as merely "reckless" — a threshold that stopped short of the "violent conduct" or "serious foul play" designation required for a red card.

Former Premier League referee Mike Dean was blunt in his assessment. "He has caught him right down the back of the Achilles. It is not a good tackle at all," Dean said. "I would be astounded if John Brooks is not sent to the screen." Dean was unequivocal — in his view, the challenge was "100 per cent a red."

De Zerbi questions referee's consistency

Spurs manager Roberto De Zerbi stopped short of publicly demanding the referee visit the pitchside monitor. "No, I have big confidence in the referee. Nothing changes if he goes to watch the clip or not," he said at his post-match press conference.

Yet De Zerbi raised concerns about consistency across the match. "I don't know if it was a red card or not on Mathys Tel, but for sure Pedro Porro yellow card for his second-half challenge on Nmecha," he said. "The parameter of the referee was not good enough, I think, for both these situations."

The incident arrives one week after Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta was dismissed for a strikingly similar Achilles-height challenge in Spurs' win over Crystal Palace — a comparison that will sharpen the sense of grievance felt inside Tottenham Hotspur's camp.