The North London Derby between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal was brought to an abrupt halt after just seven minutes on Sunday due to a technical issue with the officials' equipment. Referee Peter Bankes paused the match, leaving players and supporters in the dark as the atmosphere quickly deflated.
Commentator Gary Neville voiced his anger on air, calling the stoppage 'ridiculous' and 'an absolute shambles'. He argued that the entire game should not be stopped for an IT problem, especially in such a crucial fixture, and criticised the lack of common sense shown by officials.
Fellow pundit Clinton Morrison suggested that the interruption actually favoured Tottenham, who had been under early pressure from Arsenal. Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, he said the break gave Spurs manager Igor Tudor a chance to regroup his players.
After a seven-minute delay, the match resumed. Arsenal, needing victory after being held by Wolves midweek and seeing Manchester City close the gap at the top, took the lead through Eberechi Eze. However, Randal Kolo Muani quickly equalised for Spurs, who are battling to avoid relegation from the Premier League.
