Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has delivered his verdict on Cristian Romero avoiding a red card during Tottenham's goalless draw with Brentford on Thursday evening
Tottenham have received fresh verdicts on the controversial potential red card and penalty incidents from their goalless stalemate away at Brentford.
Despite bouncing back with victory against Crystal Palace last time out, Thomas Frank's team dropped points once more as neither side could find the breakthrough at the Gtech Community Stadium. In an extremely tight encounter, Brentford enjoyed marginally more possession than their guests and managed one additional shot on target.
The match wasn't completely devoid of controversy, however, as referee Andrew Madley faced two significant decisions. The first concerned Spurs defender Cristian Romero, who had only recently returned from suspension following his dismissal against Liverpool before Christmas.
OPINION
OPINION
On this instance, the Argentina centre-back fouled Brentford forward Igor Thiago whilst being the last defender and seemed to use his hands in the process. No infringement was awarded and Romero, rather luckily, stayed on the field to complete the match, leaving Keith Andrews visibly frustrated.
During Sky Sports' Ref Watch, former referee Dermot Gallagher believed the incorrect decision had been reached, arguing that Romero deserved to be dismissed. "He challenges for the ball, he doesn't get the ball, he gets Thiago, there's no doubt about that," he stated on Friday morning.
"Is Thiago in possession? Most certainly. He'll skip by and he's away on goal. For me, foul, red card, easy decision."
Spurs were left frustrated when their penalty appeals were dismissed after Archie Gray was tackled by Kevin Schade and Nathan Collins in the penalty area. The contact appeared minimal on replays, and Gallagher concurred with the decision made on the pitch that no penalty should be given.
"I do not think it is a foul because Schade bumps into him," he explained. "There is a little bit of a nudge, but if you watch Gray, he actually throws himself forward and uses Collins's calf to go over – I thought no foul."
Now, Frank's team must prepare for a challenging series of matches, including hosting Sunderland this weekend and travelling to Bournemouth next week. Later in the month, they will welcome Aston Villa for the third round of the FA Cup, while a clash with Dortmund awaits in the Champions League.
In terms of the Premier League table, Thursday's draw means Spurs remain in 12th place, outside the top 10. They are seven points behind the top four with 19 games played, making qualification for next season's Champions League a daunting task.