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Liverpool defender Andy Robertson conceded his side’s penalty for a late Champions League winner at Inter Milan “looked soft”.

The spot-kick was scored by Dominik Szoboszlai with two minutes remaining to seal a 1-0 success at the San Siro, sending the Reds up to eighth in the league phase standings.

It was awarded after Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni was penalised for pulling on Florian Wirtz’s shirt.

Contact appeared minimal and raised questions over whether it would be given in the Premier League, but decisions are viewed differently in European competition.

Wirtz went down inside the box after a small tug on his shirt by Bastoni.

After a short video assistant referee (VAR) review, the referee awarded the spot-kick and Szoboszlai stepped up in Mohamed Salah’s absence to fire home his second goal in successive games after netting in the 3-3 draw at Leeds.

There was also another controversial incident in the first half, when Ibrahima Konate’s close-range header was disallowed.

Szoboszlai’s corner in the 32nd minute deflected off Hugo Ekitike’s arm and looped up to Konate, who nodded in.

Many observers agreed the penalty was soft.

“Did they deserve to get that penalty? Probably not, but the fans won’t care,” former Liverpool full-back Stephen Warnock said on BBC Radio 5 Live.

Inter midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan, speaking to Amazon Prime, added: “I don’t know how they came up with a penalty that never existed, but this is football.

“We are not happy. If you give a penalty like this, then every contact in the box is a penalty.”

Dale Johnson, football issues correspondent:

When VAR was first used in the Premier League, lots of soft penalties were awarded.

Liverpool fans will remember the spot-kick they conceded at Brighton when Robertson tapped the bottom of Danny Welbeck’s boot, and the striker went to ground theatrically. The VAR intervened and gave the penalty even though contact was slight.

This prompted a change in approach, to what the Premier League deemed “contact with consequence”. It meant the VAR should take into account whether the touch, kick or pull was matched by the way a player goes to ground.

It is is why we started to hear references to glancing contact in a tackle or, when it comes to a shirt pull, a fleeting hold.

Holding the shirt is not a foul in itself, it must have impact on an opponent. If there’s a little tug, and the striker falls like he’s been pulled right down, he should not be rewarded with a penalty.

We saw this earlier in the season when Newcastle striker Nick Woltemade threw his arms up when a Bournemouth defender held his shirt. It could have been a penalty, but the way the Germany international went down counted against him, because it gave the impression of an unnatural fall compared to the extent of the shirt pull.

We’ve seen the similar kind of thing with handball, both for penalties and when a goal is scored, between the Premier League and in Europe.

At the start of the season, I specifically asked Premier League referees’ chief Howard Webb about this.

He said: “If I get asked about it, and I do speak to my counterparts all the time, I am quick to point out that we are here to apply the Laws of the Game. Of course, as we have to do.

“But within the laws, the game is an element of interpretation, and with handball what is deemed unjustifiable, or unnatural is a judgement. It’s interpretation.

“We see handball penalised in other places somewhat differently. I think that’s out of a drive for consistency, particularly if you look at Uefa competitions, where you’ve got a lot of different footballing cultures coming together.

“So officials from all over the continent, teams all over the continent. Penalising those situations when the arm is away from the body more frequently gives that consistency.

“I would never say we’re right, and they’re wrong or vice versa. It’s just all about trying to try to officiate the game in a way that best serves the expectations of the game where you’re working.

“In terms of the debate around handball, here it’s reducing significantly. That could only be because we’re doing it in a way that the majority of people seem to think is the way that they would expect it to be done here.

Son Heung-min, as he did so often in a magnificent Tottenham Hotspur career, arrived on the scene with perfect timing.

The great South Korean, who scored 173 goals in 454 games for Spurs, was back at the club for the first time since leaving for Los Angeles FC in the summer.

It was fitting that it was a big European night that marked the return of the talisman who played a key role when Spurs reached the Champions League Final in 2019 and made his farewell appearance as captain when they won their first trophy for 17 years by beating Manchester United in the Europa League Final in Bilbao last season.

An emotional Son addressed Spurs fans before kick-off, receiving a predictably rapturous reception, before watching Thomas Frank’s team take another important step forward with a comfortable Champions League win against Slavia Prague.

It was almost as if Spurs were fated to deliver in the presence of one of their modern greats, who went to view a mural painted in his honour before kick-off having been unable to say goodbye when he left for the United States.

Son’s presence added a feel-good factor in an environment that has endured its share of toxicity this season as Frank has struggled to convince Spurs fans of his suitability to tackle a more high-profile task than at previous club Brentford.

And there is no doubt this has been a vital week for Frank, whose short spell at Spurs hit a low after the recent defeat at home to Fulham, when he publicly criticised those who jeered keeper Guglielmo Vicario after a mistake led to a goal as “not true Tottenham fans.”

Spurs came from behind twice to earn a point at Newcastle United, cruised past Frank’s former club Brentford, then added this convincing 3-0 win against Slavia Prague to this mini-revival.

Before the victory against Brentford, Spurs had played 16 league games at home in 2025, winning only three and losing 10. This is the tide Frank has to turn.

This was not a perfect performance, with too many opportunities given to a mediocre Slavia side, but Spurs were always in control and have now moved to the edge of the top eight place in the Champions League table that guarantees automatic entry into the knockout phase.

In the Champions League context, it was also the perfect response to the 5-3 loss away to holders Paris St-Germain in their last game, in which Spurs actually played well for an hour before being over-powered by sheer quality.

The heavy defeat was something of an outlier in this campaign, with Spurs securing four clean sheets from their six games so far, conceding seven overall.

If Frank is looking for vital signs of progress, he will also detect them in the improved performances of Xavi Simons in his last two games, making one goal and scoring another against Brentford, followed by another significant contribution against Slavia.

He was joined by Mohammed Kudus in providing real threat – and even competition between themselves when Spurs were awarded two second-half penalties.

Before this, Spurs were given huge assistance with their opening goal after 26 minutes, Slavia defender David Sima directing a header past his own keeper Jindrich Stanek with some aplomb after Cristian Romero had flicked on Pedro Porro’s corner.

Spurs’ win was sealed with those two second-half spot-kicks, Simons very keen on taking the first before Kudus assumed responsibility successfully, but then getting his chance later when he was brought down by Igoh Ogbu.

Kudus had, at this time, been replaced by Mathys Tel. Captain Romero handed the ball to Simons, who completed the formalities.

Frank, as he was against Brentford, was delighted with Simons, saying: “I think he built on a good game on Saturday, produced again. Good link-up play, nice turns in the middle of the pitch and has acceleration to go past a player.

“I like his work ethic and there was great recovery run on 90 minutes which is crucial for us.”

Kudus also drew praise as Frank added: “Mo did well at the start of the season then had a dip. Now, in the past three or four weeks, he’s got fresh energy, acceleration and decisiveness in his actions. Getting more in sync with the team too – all that is important.”

As with the win against Brentford, Frank will regard this as a vital step forward, not just in pushing Spurs further in the Champions League, but in strengthening his own standing among a fanbase with which he is yet to establish a firm connection.

Victories strengthen bonds and convince doubters – but Frank will know he needs more.

Son’s trademark smile looked like it might have to be surgically removed at the final whistle. And on this occasion it was shared by Spurs fans who have occasionally delivered a snarl here this season.