Tottenham Hotspur's dramatic 2-1 defeat to Liverpool at the weekend was overshadowed by a late red card for captain Cristian Romero, drawing fierce criticism from Sky Sports pundits Jamie Redknapp and Gary Neville.
Chaotic Finale at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
The Premier League clash on Saturday, 20th December 2025, descended into chaos as Spurs finished the match with just nine men. The first dismissal came in the first half when Xavi Simons received a straight red for a challenge on Virgil van Dijk.
Tottenham, under manager Thomas Frank, remarkably fought back to 2-1 through substitute Richarlison and were pressing for an equaliser. However, their momentum was shattered in the 93rd minute when Romero was shown a second yellow card for kicking out at Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate.
Pundits Slam Romero's 'Madness'
Analysing the incident post-match, former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp did not hold back in his assessment of the Argentine defender's actions.
"What Romero did is what Romero does. It was ridiculous," Redknapp stated. "To get involved right in front of the referee and to kick out at someone. It was so stupid. If my four-year-old did that, I'd go, 'what are you doing?'"
Fellow pundit Gary Neville, reacting live on commentary, echoed the sentiment of sheer disbelief. "He's not right, him. His team have a chance to get back in it. What is he doing? Forget the fact it's madness because he is already on a yellow card, his team have a chance here. Absolute madness, it really is," Neville said.
Thomas Frank's Frustrated Reaction
The Tottenham boss expressed clear frustration with Simons' first-half red card but offered a more measured view on Romero's second booking. Frank suggested the collective reaction of his players indicated they felt hard done by.
"The second yellow, I see two big boys competing. Konate absolutely smashing through Cuti [Romero]. It's a foul... Cuti makes a reaction. I think I guess it can be given, but also I guess it can be not given," Frank remarked in his post-match interview.
The defeat leaves Tottenham reflecting on a match where their numerical disadvantage, twice over, ultimately cost them a potential point against Liverpool. The fallout from Romero's moment of indiscipline is likely to dominate discussions around the club as they prepare for their next fixture.
