Richarlison thought he had won the game for Tottenham against Manchester United, but was booked for taking his shirt off in celebration, and Gary Lineker has called for a rule change
Gary Lineker wants to see a change in Premier League rules after Richarlison was shown a yellow card for celebrating his goal for Tottenham against Manchester United by removing his shirt. Spurs were on the brink of securing only their fourth Premier League home victory in 2025 when the Brazilian found the back of the net.
However, Matthijs de Ligt managed to score a dramatic equaliser at the last minute. Earlier, Mathys Tel had levelled the scoreline after Bryan Mbeumo's first-half header. Richarlison then thought he had won it for Spurs and celebrated his goal by taking off his shirt.
Speaking on the Rest is Football podcast, Lineker expressed that although it was an imprudent act by the ex-Everton player, it's high time the rules were revised.
He stated: "Richarlison thought he'd won the game for Tottenham, didn't he, ripping off his shirt, and then obviously they get extra time for that, and then they're scoring that extra time."
"I think it's a stupid law to get a yellow card, and obviously, if it happens in injury time, you get extended injury time. But also, even though it's a silly law, you know what it is, and I just don't understand why.
"I know you can get overexcited, but you can get overexcited by doing something else other than rip your bloody shirt off.
"It's a bit daft, but I get it. It's a big goal for him, and he thought at the time he'd won the game. But I mean, honestly, footballers, Micah."
Micah Richards chimed in: "You know what? I can't even grumble at the fact that he's taking off his shirt, because he's playing it in real life. I feel that way on Fantasy Football, so I understand you."
Reflecting on United's last-minute equaliser, Spurs boss Thomas Frank said: "A lot of things we could have done a bit better, the last one is all about the urgency, maybe don't give the cross away and defend better.
"Second half we got more bite in the man to man pressure, which was not working as it should have been in the first half."
Frank added: "Of course it's not that I'm going away from here and not being disappointed at leading with one minute to go and you don't win, that will always be the case.
"What I'm focussing on is especially that the second half was a good performance. I was very happy with the way we turned it around.
"We stayed in the game, did the right thing, keep pushing - in a game when two teams neutralise each other you don't create too much, that's natural, but how the boys kept fighting was hugely impressive."