Thomas Tuchel and Harry Maguire both blasted referee Sven Jablonski after several second-half flashpoints in England’s Wembley draw with Uruguay. The Three Lions faced the South American nation in their penultimate match before Tuchel picks his 26-man squad for this summer’s World Cup. It was a largely drab affair but tempers rose in the second half after an ugly tackle from Ronald Araujo, before late goals from Ben White and Federico Valverde, who scored a stoppage-time penalty conceded by White.

Jablonski somehow failed to send off Barcelona’s Araujo for a potential leg-breaking tackle on Phil Foden before later failing to dismiss Manuel Ugarte of Manchester United despite showing the midfielder two yellow cards. The fourth official bizarrely claimed the second yellow was rescinded, and then it was said the first for Ugarte was actually given to Ugarte’s team-mate Jose Maria Gimenez. And Jablonski then awarded a penalty late on after a tackle from White on Federico Vinas inside the six-yard box.

Told he cut a frustrated figure at the end, Tuchel said to ITV: “Yeah because it’s not a penalty, I’m sorry. But OK. To sum it up, I think our goal was also a tough block from Adam Wharton which they checked and gave. I’m absolutely OK with our performance. I liked how we put it into life, the structure.

“We tried and we tried, we were the better team I think overall. We had some big chances from set-pieces and the biggest chance with [Dominic] Calvert-Lewin after 60 minutes. We were forced into changes. We lose Noni Madueke and then we lose Phil Foden [both] to injury. It was a lot. We had a lot of new players and we changed a lot of new players. I’m very grateful for the test and very happy with the performance.”

Asked if Uruguay should have had Araujo sent off, Tuchel replied: “Of course. Yeah of course. It’s just so lucky. How is this not checked by VAR? And then they’re checking the last bit where the referee made very, very clear he saw it and it’s nothing… then they check and it’s given. It’s not enough for me [for a penalty], but OK.

“I liked how we played. I think we did good, everyone did good. We played as a team. I like a lot of stuff today. It was too good to be true for Ben to score the winner. He’s a bit maybe too tough, too greedy in his defensive actions. But still I think it’s not a penalty. It would have been nice to keep the clean sheet and take another win but it does not change my opinion on the match.”

A baffled Maguire also couldn’t believe Araujo went unpunished. He told the same broadcaster: “Yeah of course. You don’t see tackles like that that don’t get red cards. A couple of months to the World Cup and we’ve got referees allowing tackles like that. It’s disappointing that wasn’t given a red card.

“We’ve got to move on and manage the game a little bit better at the end to come away with a victory. It was a good work out and many positives and things to work on as well. He gave a ridiculous penalty. I thought it was a real, real soft penalty. Ben just goes to try and block the shot. It’s not a tackle, it’s not malicious. There’s going to be contact in the box.”

The returning White had a dramatic night on his first international appearance for four years after a self-imposed exile. The Arsenal defender scored in the 81st minute before conceding the penalty Valverde equalised from. All that came after he was booed on to the pitch having previously refused to play for his country following a falling-out with former assistant manager Steve Holland.

Tuchel said on the jeers: “I hope so [that this has turned a page for him]. I think this happened before to some players here, which is disappointing because I think it doesn’t help anyone. I think it was a mixed reaction, some cheered, some booed. I was not even aware of it but people told me now.

“Because I was in the tunnel I didn’t hear it but yeah hopefully it’s settled.”

While White’s team-mate Maguire added: “It was a bit crazy, scoring the first goal. I thought he was brilliant when he came on. I can’t say anything about the defending because if it was me in that position, I’d be attempting to block the shot too. That’s what we’ve got to do.

“He’s been really good all week. He’s been really positive in the camp, big smile on his face. He’s brought great energy to the camp and he got his rewards with the goal. I thought he was brilliant when he came on.”