Tuchel and Azpilicueta's 'ballistic' response after Chelsea controversy

The "ballistic" responses of Thomas Tuchel and Cesar Azpilicueta have been detailed following the VAR controversy that marred Chelsea 's win over Southampton.

The Blues claimed all three points at Stamford Bridge, thanks to goals from Trevoh Chalobah, Timo Werner and Ben Chilwell.

But the match was not without incident, with Southampton equalising through James Ward-Prowse's penalty after Chilwell's ill-advised challenge on Tino Livramento in the box.

Before Ward-Prowse's spot-kick, Chelsea had already put the ball in the net twice, but saw both of those goals ruled out by referee Martin Atkinson.

First, Romelu Lukaku was found to be offside, though that was a decision that Chelsea could have no complaints with.

Thomas Tuchel received a booking from Martin Atkinson for his protests about the decision to disalllow Timo Werner's header

The second disallowed goal though was a different story, with Tuchel and the Blues left furious with Atkinson and Video Assistant Referee Mike Dean.

Cesar Azpilicueta won the ball off Kyle Walker-Peters before bursting into the box, with Callum Hudson-Odoi picking up his overhit cross.

Hudson-Odoi played the ball back in, where Werner was on hand to head past Alex McCarthy.

But his celebrations were short-lived, as Dean called Atkinson over to the pitch-side monitor to review Azpilicueta's tackle on Walker-Peters.

After reviewing footage of the incident, Atkinson adjudged Azpilicueta to have kicked the heel of the Southampton full-back and so win the ball illegally.

Werner's goal was ruled out as a result, leaving Tuchel furious in his technical area, with Atkinson subsequently showing the Blues boss a yellow card.

The response of Tuchel and his captain Azpilicueta have now been defended by former Tottenham star Garth Crooks.

Crooks was also left incensed by the intervention of Dean and the VAR, blasting the decision to rule out Werner's header.

Did Martin Atkinson make the right decision by ruling out Werner's header? Comment below.

Atkinson reviewed the incident on the pitchside monitor before ruling out the goal

"VAR really should mind its own business. Clear and obvious mistakes we were told," Crooks wrote in his team of the week column for BBC Sport.

"So why disallow Timo Werner's headed goal for Chelsea in the second phase of play which had nothing to do with the previous phase.

"I assumed the referee waved play on when Cesar Azpilicueta tackled Kyle Walker-Peters in the build up to Werner's goal but changed his mind when VAR raised a red flag."

Crooks praised Azpilicueta for not letting the incident impact on the rest of his performance, with the Spaniard going on to provide the assist for Werner's late strike.

"It was hardly surprising the Chelsea captain and his manager Thomas Tuchel, went ballistic. Fortunately, Azpilicueta didn't allow the incident to dwell on his mind too long," Crooks added.

"He provided the pass of the game for Werner to score Chelsea's second goal of the match and put right what Martin Atkinson had clearly got wrong."

Tuchel remained angry despite his side's win, taking the opportunity to blast Atkinson and Dean after the match.

Cesar Azpilicueta also confronted Atkinson for his decision

"I was not frustrated with the 1-0 but if you score a second one and they take it away from you for almost no reason, then you are frustrated," he fumed.

"There is a chance, there is a second chance and a third close is the goal. This is not the decisive action for this goal. I have zero understanding why we go back to this and take this goal away."