Gareth Bale emerges from bench to seal Spurs win after VAR controversy

Gareth Bale was the hero for Tottenham Hotspur as his emphatic 73rd-minute header gave Jose Mourinho’s men a 2-1 win over Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League.

The Welshman had only been on the pitch a couple of minutes when he scored his first goal since re-joining Spurs on loan from Real Madrid in September, a first strike for the club in seven years and 166 days.

Harry Kane had given Spurs the lead from the penalty spot after just 13 minutes, but Tariq Lamptey cancelled that effort out when he fired past Hugo Lloris early in the second-half for his first senior goal.

Tottenham felt Pierre-Emile Højbjerg had been fouled in the build-up to the goal, but the referee Graham Scott elected not to rule it out despite reviewing the incident on a pitch-side monitor, much to the condescension of the Tottenham players.

It was not the first controversial VAR intervention of the match. First, the referee, having initially awarded a free-kick to Tottenham on the edge of the area following a coming together between Adam Lallana and Kane, controversially upgraded that set-piece to the 13th-minute penalty that gave Spurs the lead; then Brighton were left further aggrieved after VAR elected not to intervene after Matt Doherty tussled with Leandro Trossard inside the box.

However, Bale ensured that VAR would not monopolise the headlines as he stooped to head a Sergio Reguilon cross home with just over 15 minutes remaining.

The win sees the north London club leap to second in the Premier League table on 14 points - one spot behind Liverpool, while Brighton continue to hang above the relegation zone in 16th.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (Spurs) - Since joining Spurs from Southampton in the summer for a bargain fee, Hojbjerg has given them a winning combination of grit and composure at the base of their midfield. On Sunday he made eight ball recoveries and two interceptions, while winning 100% of both his tackles and aerial duels and having 89.3% pass accuracy. With him playing like that, Eric Dier better get used to playing at centre back.

It feels the debates surrounding VAR are never-ending, but it is simply impossible not to talk about it. VAR specifically was not at fault for certain decisions, but how referees are using VAR and applying the rules is understandably coming into question.

Both sides will likely feel aggrieved by decisions after this game. Brighton will feel two decisions went against them while Spurs will have arguments about the officiating that led to the Seagulls equalising. These were the very gripes that VAR was supposed to eradicate. Ultimately, there will have to be some kind of changes to the application of VAR, otherwise it will continue to dominate the narrative arc of these matches.

Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris 6, Doherty 6, Dier 6, Reguilon 7, Sissoko 6, Hojbjerg 8, Lamela 6, Son 5, Kane 7...Subs: Lo Celso 7, Bale 7, Davies N/A

Brighton & Hove Albion: Sanchez 6, Burn 5, Veltman 5, Webster 6, March 7, Lamptey 8, Bissouma 6, White 6, Lallana 6, Gross 7, Trossard 5...Subs: Bernardo 6, Welbeck 6, MacAllister 5

11' - After a VAR check, the referee Graham Scott gives the penalty! Could be a controversial decision that one as it was extremely close.

13' - GOOALLL!! Kane bags his 199th goal for Spurs with a composed penalty slotted into the right hand side of the goal, sending Sanchez the other way in the process. 1-0 Spurs.

55' - GOOALLL!! Spurs players were calling for a free-kick after an erratic challenge on Hojbjerg. The ball ends up with March on the left. His cross finds Gross on the edge of the area, who lays off Lamptey to his right in acres of space and the young right wing-back sends the ball past Lloris for his first senior goal and that is Brighton's equaliser.

58' - Another long VAR check ensues to examine that March challenge on Hojbjerg in the build-up to the goal. From the slowed down replays you can see that March did get some of the ball, but he also got a lot of Hojbjerg. To the anger of the Spurs players, the referee eventually indicates that the goal will stand. Game on!

68' - CLOSE!! Lamela finds a little bit of space just outside the box to drill a low shot against the post. It almost ricochets off the post into the goal but Sanchez reacts remarkably quicker to push it away.

71' - POST AGAIN!! Bale's first act is to head the ball onto Kane who somehow fails to score from very close range, smashing the ball against the post. I know that was Bale's first touch of the game, but he still should have done better with that header. He was open in the box yet did not even jump and although he nearly assisted Kane, it did look to be intended as a shot.

73' - GOALL!! That's what I get for criticising Bale's heading! The Welshman scores his first Tottenham goal since rejoining the club thanks to a marvellous right-footed cross from Reguilon that enabled him to score with a pinpoint header as the two players signed from Real Madrid link-up to put Spurs 2-1 ahead.

88' - CLOSE!! Bale links up well with Lo Celso, finding him around the edge of the area. Lo Celso tries to curl it into the top corner but it goes over.