Jose Mourinho has called on the Premier League to change its rules so that referees can speak after games – and say they are sorry if they made a mistake.
The Tottenham manager was speaking a day after his team were denied a penalty after a Joshua King shove on Harry Kane during their 0-0 draw at Bournemouth.
Meanwhile, his old club Manchester United were awarded a spot-kick in their 3-0 win over Aston Villa – a decision which has been widely dismissed as a mistake.
Mourinho, speaking ahead of Sunday's north London derby against Arsenal, was asked why Bruno Fernandes was awarded a penalty on Thursday when Kane wasn't, despite VAR studying both incidents.
'Ask the referees,' Mourinho said. 'Not me. You should have access to them. I know the rules don't allow it. I think you should have access to them – to ask directly why.
'It's very important. They are very important in the game. A game is players, managers, referees. It would make things much more open, much more clear.
'It would give the referee the opportunity to say: "Yes, I made a mistake, I feel sorry for that" or "Yes I had incredible performance" or "Yes I was perfect".
'I think they are very important in the game, as important as players.'
Mourinho added he no longer celebrates goals due to VAR.
'I don't celebrate goals anymore, because I never know if it is a goal or not a goal,' he said.
'Even if I have the feeling it is but maybe something happened six or seven seconds before that I didn't realise and then it is not a goal.
'But in other things I feel are for the better. If you forget what happened at Villa vs Sheffield with the goal line technology - I think the goal line technology is fantastic.
'Even if I didn't win against Watford with one millimetre no goal, I accept it because it is yes or no. In other situations, I think some disgraceful decisions but that is the way it is.'