Destiny Udogie avoided a red for this foul on Raheem Sterling (Photo: Sky Sports)
Gary Neville believes Tottenham were very lucky not to be down to nine-men within the first-half of their clash with Chelsea.
The London rivals faced off against each other in the Premier League on Monday night, in a predictably heated affair.
Cristian Romero was sent off after 33 minutes for a bad foul on Enzo Fernandez, which also gave away a penalty which Chelsea scored to level the match.
Fans and Spurs players were furious, given that the centre-back won the ball in the challenge, but Neville says the follow through meant the red card was justified.
‘It’s a mad challenge by Romero. For me, it’s definitely a penalty,’ the Manchester United defender said on commentary for Sky Sports.
‘And he is in trouble because it is high. It’s not a natural follow through. He could have gone earlier [for kicking out at a Chelsea player after a challenge].’
But Neville believes Destiny Udogie should have waled a few minutes earlier after making a reckless, two-footed, studs up challenge on Raheem Sterling.
VAR checked the foul, but stuck with referee Michael Oliver’s original decision of yellow, probably because the left-back won the ball and mostly missed Sterling.
But Cristian Romero walked for fouling Enzo Fernandez (Photo: Sky Sports)
‘Since their goal, Spurs have lost their heads. This has all come from the Udogie tackle,’ Neville added.
‘It was unnecessary. It just shows you how ill-discipline can cost you. Mayhem.
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‘He gets the ball but it looks like a classic two-footed tackle. It looks like classic red card.
‘It’s the challenge footballers hate. He’s a lucky boy because that is a challenge that is universally hated.
‘He would have snapped Sterling’s leg had the Chelsea player not pulled it away. Destiny Udogie should have been sent off. You don’t have to break a player’s leg to get a red card.’
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‘He’s a lucky boy because that is a challenge that is universally hated.’