Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey was shown a yellow card in the first half of the club’s win over Spurs
Former Premier League striker Jay Bothroyd has defender Brian Brobbey after claims the striker should have been shown a red card in Sunderland's 1-0 win over Spurs.
The visitors were left furious when Brobbey pushed Spurs defender Cristian Romero as he chased a long ball forward, with Romero colliding with the goalkeeper and suffering a potentially serious injury. Brobbey was already on a yellow card but speaking on Sky Sports show Ref Watch, Bothroyd said he didn't think the incident warranted another a yellow card.
Bothroyd said: "From a striker's point of view, forwards hate this because when you look at this, Romero is not in control of the ball and he's trying to block the player from getting the ball. They're not in control of the ball, he doesn't want control of the ball, and he's blocking him. At some point, Brobbey can't see the ball anymore so it's almost like a push to one side to see the ball. Those incidents happen because the defender is trying to shield the ball.
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher agreed and said it was not a serious foul from Brobbey regardless of the outcome.
Gallagher: "I think we have to be careful that we don't get seduced by the outcome. If the goalkeeper is not there, a little nudge like that, are you sending him off for a second yellow card? The answer is most certainly no. Unluckily, the collision occurs and it ramps everything up but it's not a very serious foul. When you look at the nuts and bolts, it is just a little push."
Bothroyd and Gallagher also agreed that the foul for which Brobbey picked up a yellow card in the first half did not warrant a red.
Bothroyd said: "For me again, I've been in that situation as a striker and for me, when a defender is jumping all over your back and you're trying to shrug him off... he's not looking at him and throwing an elbow. Yes he's hit him with the top part of his elbow, it's unfortunate and it's going to be sore... but he's not thrown it. He's trying to shrug him off, the defender is trying to come over him, stop him from running away from him.
Gallagher added: "I agree 100% with that. It's not like he's a yard away and he's gone bang [thrown the elbow]. He's trying to use his strength... and this ramps up the second one because suddenly you have this myth that we explode week after week on this show that if you have a yellow card and you foul someone, you're having an early bath. It's a myth."
Ref Watch duo deliver verdict on penalty controversy in Sunderland’s win over Spurs
While both agreed that the it was the right decision to overturn the penalty awarded to Spurs in the first half, Bothroyd felt Luke O'Nien was a little fortunate having slid in to challenge Randal Kolo Muani.
"I didn't think it was a penalty and still don't but O'Nien is lucky," Bothroyd said.
"If the attacker was on his feet and O'Nien slides into him, then I'd think it was a penalty."
Gallagher said: "VAR has done them a massive favour because it's just not a foul. Alderete gets the ball. O'Nien gets the ball. Kolo Muani slips and is already going down."
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