Jamie Redknapp and Paul Merson claim Jurrien Timber is ‘incredibly lucky’ to avoid a red card after Arsenal star’s challenge on Tottenham defender Pedro Porro

Jamie Redknapp claimed Jurrien Timber was ‘incredibly lucky’ not to be sent off during the north London derby.

During the goalless first half, referee Jarred Gillett did not hesitate to give players yellow cards, giving them a total of seven yellow cards in the first 45 minutes.

There was a controversial moment when Timber hit Pedro Porro’s ankle after 36 minutes, earning him a penalty from the referee.

The Dutch defender was cleared of any wrongdoing, with VAR stating that while there had been a ‘reckless foul’, there had been ‘no serious malice’.

However, Redknapp disagrees, claiming Timber should have been sent off for using ‘excessive force’ in the tackle.

The former Spurs and Liverpool player told Sky Sports: It’s an unusual move because he’s clearly going over the ball. He’s rolling his foot, he’s using an unusual move where you would normally come with the side of your foot to make a challenge like that, but he’s going over it with his studs on it.

“His foot then bounces on the ball. With the tackle here last year with Curtis Jones and Bissouma, Curtis Jones ended up getting sent off for that, so very similar. He’s very, very lucky.

“He made the referee make a huge decision. I think he’s incredibly lucky because other referees might have sent him off. He doesn’t have to go like that. It’s such a strange one.

‘Did he take it badly? No. But that’s not the point. It’s the excessive force with which he went in.’

Former Arsenal striker Paul Merson agreed with Redknapp, saying: ‘If you look at it, he’s (lucky). Of course, if you put your foot on the ball, it’s always going to roll that way, he’s never going to set it up and bounce back, it’s going to go that way.

‘He’s lucky, especially away from home. And the way this referee hands out yellow cards like they’re ice creams is really, really nice.’