- Gary Neville claims Cristian Romero’s red card was the right decision
- He was sent off for a ‘wild’ challenge during Tottenham’s match against Chelsea
- CHRIS SUTTON: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is a CLOWN – It all starts
Gary Neville claims he has ‘no sympathy’ for Cristian Romero after the Tottenham defender was sent off for a ‘wild’ challenge on Enzo Fernandez during his side’s heated match against Chelsea, with the Sky Pundit claiming ‘he knows what he’s doing ‘.
The Sky Sports pundit also labeled the defender a ‘lucky boy’ after he kicked out against Levi Colwill moments before the red card, with a VAR review ruling his kick did not merit a red card.
After Spurs took the lead with Dejan Kulusevski putting the hosts 1-0 ahead, Romero pounced on Enzo Fernandez in the penalty area and caught the midfielder on the shin in a nasty challenge before referee Michael Oliver called him out a red card for the tackle and a penalty.
Cole Palmer scored from the resulting penalty to level the scores but Neville, who was about to, punched the Spurs defender for his moment of madness.
“Oh no Romero, you, you, you… This is chaos,” the former Manchester United defender told Sky Sports.
Cristian Romero was shown a red card for this challenge on Enzo Fernandez during Tottenham’s Premier League match against Chelsea
Romero could have been shown a red card a little earlier after he kicked out at Levi Colwill
Gary Neville told Sky Sports that sending off Romero was the right decision
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‘That’s a punishment. He plays the ball, but no idea why he continues like this. Crazy challenge.
“He doesn’t have to put his studs in Fernandez’s shin. In trouble with it being high. If you go back to Curtis Jones from a few weeks ago, which I thought was harsh, this one is even worse. Believe me as a defender, that is not a natural progression.
‘Final punishment, but what matters is whether it is red. It’s red. He could have gone earlier, no sympathy for him, he makes wild challenges, passionate and fiery, but he knows what he is doing and it is the wildest challenge. Tottenham fans are going crazy.”
Before the broadcast, it looked like Raheem Sterling scored the equalizer as he made his way into the Spurs box before firing past Guglielmo Vicario.
The goal was disallowed for offside, but VAR went back to check Romero’s kick at Colwill in the build-up.
Neville said of the incident: ‘Raheem Sterling scored but 80 yards out Romero was on the ground and Colwill kicked back.
‘I think Romero is going. It hits his hand, comes back and hits it, that doesn’t count. I think Romero on the other hand is in trouble. They may lose a goal, but Spurs may lose a man.
Referee Michael Oliver showed the defender a red card after a VAR review
Speaking about Romero’s tackle (pictured), Neville added: ‘Trust me as a defender, that’s not a natural follow-up action’
Neville also claimed that Destiny Udogie should have been sent off for this challenge on Raheem Sterling
‘Because Sterling is a goalscorer, that goal is disallowed. If he had had a place to settle it, he would have gotten away with it. Spurs fans are cheering, but that won’t be in a minute I suspect, let’s see what happens with Romero.’
Destiny Udogi could also have been shown a red card after coming on for Sterling in the opening 20 minutes.
Following a VAR review, the referees deemed his challenge did not meet the severity of a red card, with Oliver awarding him a yellow card.
But Neville disagreed with that decision, saying: ‘Udogi should be off, that’s 100 percent, Romero is a lucky guy, if that’s what you normally do to kick someone out without the ball being near you, it reminded me exactly of David Beckham. I should go back and VAR that one in 1998.”