Tottenham's Cristian Romero went off the field in tears after picking up an injury in their 1-0 loss to Sunderland on Sunday afternoon
Tottenham captain Cristian Romero was forced off injured in his side's 1-0 loss to Sunderland after colliding with goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky. But some of his team-mates reckoned Brian Brobbey was to blame for the collision and should have been sent off.
Spurs soon found themselves 1-0 down in the second half of Roberto De Zerbi's first game in charge. Just eight minutes after Nordi Mukiele opened the scoring for the home side, a ball was played in behind, and Romero jockeyed back as it travelled to Kinsky.
Brobbey was in pursuit, and after some indecision from the shot-stopper, both Kinsky and Romero smashed into one another rather violently. Romero was substituted in tears as he seemingly suffered a knee injury. Kinsky's head was bandaged after it struck his team-mate's leg, and 1-0 was the final scoreline.
Sunderland's Brobbey appeared to push Romero whilst chasing the ball and some of the Tottenham players appealed to the referee about this, as the Dutchman was already on a yellow card. But former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has played down these pleas, as has former striker Jay Bothroyd.
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"I think we have to be careful we don't get seduced by the outcome, the injury. If the goalkeeper is not there, a little nudge there, are you going to send him off?" said Gallagher on Sky Sports' Ref Watch.
"Is it a second yellow card? The answer is most certainly no. But, unluckily, the goalkeeper comes out and a collision occurs and that suddenly ramps up everyone's perspective that it's suddenly a very serious foul. But it's not a very serious foul. When you look at it, nuts and bolts, it's a little push."
Bothroyd added: "Forwards hate this. When you look at it, Romero is not in control of the ball and all he is doing is trying to block the player from getting the ball. I hate this.
"They are not in control of the ball but you are blocking the player from getting the ball. He doesn't want control of the ball and that's what's happened.
"So at some point, Brobbey cannot see the ball because he's so close to Romero. It's almost like he has pushed him to one side so he can see the ball, but that's the incident that comes because defenders are trying to shield the ball. We see it all the time when it's going out of play."
When told it happens all the time, Bothroyd replied: "You're not allowed to block a player if you're not in control. But that's what happens now. Romero is trying to shield the ball. He's not thinking I want to control this and pass it back."
Brobbey had already entered referee Rob Jones' book after an incident involving Pedro Porro in the first half. The striker appeared to launch an elbow near Porro while jostling for the ball, and questions have been raised as to whether this warranted a sending off.
On this incident, Bothroyd added: "For me, I've been in that situation, when a defender is on your back and you're trying to shove him off. You're not throwing an elbow. Yes, he hit him with an elbow. It will be sore, but he's not throwing it. He's trying to shrug him off. He wants to go back to the goal. The fact that Porro is there, holding onto him, is the reason why that happened."
Gallagher replied: "I completely agree. It is almost like, 'Get off me, get off me.' They're so close. It's not like he's a yard away and then 'bang'. He's trying to use his strength. That's what ramps up the second one. There is this myth that if you foul somebody after a yellow card you're going to get an early bath. It's a myth."
Manager De Zerbi was asked about the substituted Romero's injury status after the game. He said: "We have to see in the next few days. I hope that it is not too important a problem. He's a crucial player for us. He's a good guy and a good player with a big personality. We need him to finish the season." On whether it is a knee problem, De Zerbi added: "Maybe yes, but I don't know."