Mateus Fernandes was fortunate to come away from an early penalty call unscathed in Tottenham’s Premier League clash with Leeds after his out-stretched arm blocked a cross in the box.

Gabriel Gudmundsson whipped in the ball from the left flank aiming for Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the fourth minute, with Spurs midfielder Fernandes diving across with his arm fully extended to get in the way.

The ball appeared to bounce off either the top of his arm or his shoulder, with Leeds players vocally appealing for a penalty along with the Elland Road faithful.

Initial replays failed to give a definitive answer on which part of his body the ball hit, with the TNT Sports commentary team - made up of Steven Gerrard, Lucy Ward and commentator Darren Fletcher - stressing that the decision was anything but cut and dry.

“It’s extremely close. He’s got away with one, I think,” said Gerrard.

“It doesn’t look like the chest to me. If anything it hits the shoulder and the top of the arm. In slow motion it looks worse.”

VAR reviewed the incident, telling referee John Brooks to briefly halt play after the ball went out.

And while VAR confirmed that the ball did hit Fernandes’ arm, Brooks was ultimately not advised to award a spot kick.

“The referee’s call of no penalty to Leeds United was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed that Fernandes did not commit a handball offence,” the Premier League Match Centre said.

Quoting VAR, the statement added: “Confirming the on-field decision of play on. The ball strikes the very top of the arm as he is leaning – in the green zone.”

As per refereeing body Ifab’s rules, the “green zone” for handball is the very top of the shoulder and the upper sleeve area, with contact here being legal. Anything further down the arm is classified as handball.