EPL: I was rude to an idiot, says Mourinho after he was booked over faceoff with Southampton coach

Mourinho also hit out at VAR after a number of decisions were reviewed, including a potential penalty as Dele Alli clashed with Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy and Harry Kane’s goal ruled out for offside, in an incident where the striker injured his hamstring.

“For me the referees are not the referees,” he said. “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. It is strange. You see the refs on the pitch and they are not the refs, they are the assistants.

“The other guys in the office are the ones who make the big decisions of the game. In relation to the offsides, we had Harry Kane’s goal against Brighton disallowed for offside by I don’t know what margin.

“Then Norwich had one ruled out against us. I don’t know what half an inch that was. Then today, this one I confess I haven’t watched yet.

“What I know is Dele Alli penalty was a penalty and the VAR didn’t interfere. He then interfered in a penalty that from 75 yards away I knew was not a penalty.

“It was the Harry Kane shot with the rebound when McCarthy comes with Dele from 75 yards away I knew it wasn’t a penalty. But they let the VAR analyse it to try to make us blind about the penalty that was a penalty.

“Sometimes it goes in our favour like at Norwich and sometimes against us. But the direction it is taking us in is really really wrong.”