James Maddison has now questioned the standard of Premier League officiating and VAR following the latest controversy involving Tottenham and Leeds United.While Tottenham Hotspur will not have been pleased with their 1-1 draw against Leeds United on Monday night, they certainly will have been encouraged to see James Maddison return to Premier League action.It has been more than a year since Maddison last played a competitive game for Spurs after suffering an ACL injury in pre-season.However, when he came on for the final 20 minutes against Leeds, he looked lively, demanding possession in several areas of the pitch as his side searched for a winner.Photo by Shaun Brooks – CameraSport via Getty ImagesJames Maddison sends VAR message after Tottenham drawSpurs came close on several occasions against Leeds, but finding that all-important second goal proved difficult.The biggest opportunity of the night may well have come from the penalty spot after Maddison went down in the box following a quick dribble, with Nmecha involved in the challenge.Unfortunately for the Spurs, the on-field referee waved away their appeals and, after a brief VAR review, officials ruled there had been no clear and obvious error from Jarred Gillett.A frustrated Maddison has now taken to Instagram to question both the decision and the wider use of VAR in the Premier League.Writing on his Instagram story, Maddison explained why he believed the decision should have gone Spurs’ way while also criticising how quickly the check was completed.The Tottenham midfielder wrote: “For clarity… the small tiny touch on the ball to change direction came from the outside of my right foot not Nmecha and I told the ref that, but the check was over in about 20 seconds.“Officials are petrified to make decisions on pitch now because of VAR. We keep fighting. COYS.”James Maddison on Instagram pic.twitter.com/1MQooOgAV3— The Spurs Web (@thespursweb) May 12, 2026Spurs cannot afford costly mistakes at this stage of the seasonSpurs are now in a very precarious position as they continue their fight against relegation this season, with just two points separating Tottenham from West Ham United with two games left to play.Any slip-up from Spurs at this stage of the campaign could prove costly, especially with the Hammers breathing down their necks.Should Tottenham go down this season, they may well look back at that decision against Leeds as one of the moments that contributed to their relegation.READ MORE: Why Tottenham have a long eight days off before crucial Chelsea showdownThe post ‘Officials are petrified’ – James Maddison hits out at VAR process after Tottenham penalty claim appeared first on Spurs Web.