Jose Mourinho Praises Referee For Not Sending Off Ashley Barnes In Bizarre Post-Match Interview

Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho dropped some unexpected praise for referee Michael Oliver following the club's 1-0 win against Burnley on Monday night.

In his post-match interview following the tightly contested Premier League clash at Turf Moor, a delighted Mourinho was all but complimentary about the performance of Oliver and his officials, despite a controversial moment involving Burnley forward Ashley Barnes.

Many felt Barnes was lucky to be still on the pitch following a nasty first-half elbow that left defender Toby Alderweireld with a cut above his eye.

Mourinho, however, was impressed with the refereeing decisions throughout the game.

"I also think that Michael Oliver was very, very good and his assistants were very, very good.
" Mourinho told Sky Sports.

"For a match of this nature you need a good referee. You need a referee with stability and he was that man.

"He impressed me that he was always in control. He doesn't need to give a red card to Barnes because that would create, for sure, a completely different game."

Mourinho went on to praise Oliver further.

"All the duels, because this game was about lots of individual duels, especially with all the long balls they put into our first third, he has to be running with the ball, because the ball runs a lot in this kind of match.

"To be this close to the decisions, he was really good, really solid."

The Barnes elbow was a major talking point on social media throughout the game and at half-time, Sky pundit Jamie Carragher commented on how it is "always the same players" who are involved in situations like that.

"I'm not sure how Jose reacted when the incident happened there or maybe what he'll say at the end of the game.

"I'm with Gary (Neville) but it is always the same players who seem to be involved in those types of situations."

Image: PA

Neville went on to question whether it was an intentional elbow from the Burnley forward.

"You always end up with fifty of these a season where you say is it an intentional elbow? Only Barnes will know." he said.

"That was the classic 20 years ago when you'd get one of them a game where the forward will lean with his elbow and leave one on you and not make it look like a mistake."

Tottenham striker Son-Heung Min went on to score his eighth Premier League goal of the season with 15 minutes remaining as Mourinho's side climbed to fifth in the table.

And yes, seven of those Son goals have been assisted by Harry Kane.

Image: PA

Should Barnes have been sent off for his elbow on Alderweireld? Thoughts on Mourinho's comments?

Let us know in the comments.

Topics: Spurs, Football News, Jose Mourinho, Football, Burnley

Jack Kenmare

Jack Kenmare is a writer at SPORTbible. He's interviewed some of the biggest names in sport, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Pele, Carles Puyol and Tim Henman. He dabbles in all things sport but football is his biggest passion. He was once hit in the head by a wayward strike from Nicky Butt and lived to tell the tale.

@jackkenmare_