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LONDON. – Former English Premier League soccer referee Mark Clattenburg has made the astonishing claim he allowed Tottenham to “self-destruct” when they lost the title to Leicester last year. The official took charge of Spurs’ bad-tempered 2-2 draw at Chelsea in May 2016 which allowed the Foxes to clinch a shock top-flight crown. Needing to win to keep their title hopes alive, Tottenham lost a 2-0 lead at Stamford Bridge as Clattenburg booked nine players and Chelsea and Spurs received fines of £375 000 and £225 000 respectively from the FA.

But the 42-year-old said he went into the game with a plan to avoid being accused of costing Spurs the title and claimed under normal circumstances he could have sent four of Mauricio Pochettino’s players off.

Clattenburg said: “I allowed them (Spurs) to self-destruct so all the media, all the people in the world went, ‘Tottenham lost the title’’’. – The Star.