Tottenham Hotspur suffered a 2-1 Premier League defeat to Liverpool at home, a result overshadowed by controversy surrounding Cristian Romero’s second yellow card. Spurs manager Thomas Frank argued that the Argentine captain would not have been sent off if referee John Brooks “did his job” properly.

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Romero’s Red Card Sparks Debate

Tottenham were already down to ten men in the first half after Xavi Simons was dismissed for a foul on Virgil van Dijk. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Spurs fought back, with Richarlison scoring late to reduce the deficit.

Romero received his first yellow for dissent after the second Liverpool goal, claiming that Hugo Ekitike pushed him in the back as he headed in. In stoppage time, Romero was shown a second yellow for kicking out at Ibrahima Konate, reducing Spurs to nine men and effectively sealing the win for Liverpool.

Thomas Frank expressed frustration with the officiating:

“There is a massive mistake by John [Brooks] on the pitch. Two hands on the back by Ekitike. I don’t understand how he didn’t see it.”

Frank suggested that proper refereeing could have prevented Romero’s first booking and potentially changed the course of the game.

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VAR Confirms Decisions, Opinions Divided

The Premier League match center confirmed that VAR reviewed the Liverpool goal and deemed contact between Ekitike and Romero normal for an aerial challenge. Former goalkeeper Shay Given agreed with the referee’s decisions on Match of the Day, highlighting the divide in opinion over the incidents.

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Spurs’ Disciplinary Concerns

Romero’s red card raises broader questions about his role as Spurs captain. The former Atalanta defender has a record of 34 yellow cards and three red cards in 114 Premier League appearances. Alongside Bournemouth, Tottenham has received the most yellow cards in the league this season, with Romero responsible for nine of them—21% of the team total.

Former players like Jamie Redknapp criticized Romero’s actions, stating:

“What Romero did is what Romero does… to get involved right in front of the referee and kick out at someone right in front of the referee is ridiculous.”

Former Spurs goalkeeper Joe Hart also described Tottenham’s behaviour as “wild,” noting the team lost control after Romero’s booking.

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Xavi Simons Apologizes for Early Red Card

Xavi Simons, dismissed in the first half for a challenge on his national team captain Van Dijk, publicly apologized via Instagram:

“Mistakes happen. Virg is my captain, I would never intentionally hurt him or anyone. To my Spurs teammates, my manager, and the fans, I take responsibility. I’m really sorry.”

Thomas Frank, while acknowledging the challenge was harsh, suggested it was not worthy of a red card:

“He is chasing Van Dijk, trying to put pressure, then changes direction. Unfortunately, his foot is on Achilles. You can say ‘be smarter,’ but are we not allowed to have physical contact anymore?”

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Key Takeaways

• Cristian Romero’s second yellow card was highly controversial, sparking debate over refereeing standards.
• Xavi Simons showed accountability, apologizing for his first-half dismissal.
• Tottenham remain 13th in the Premier League, with disciplinary issues under scrutiny.
• Despite the defeat, Spurs displayed resilience, with Richarlison scoring against the odds.