Referee John Brooks found himself at the centre of a stormy Premier League encounter at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday night, with scrutiny now falling on a potential third red card he failed to award to the home side.
A Costly Night of Discipline for Spurs
Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank was left to rue the ill-discipline of his players as they slumped to a 2-1 defeat against Liverpool, finishing the match with just nine men. Xavi Simons received a straight red card following a VAR review for a tackle on Virgil van Dijk, while Cristian Romero was dismissed after picking up two yellow cards.
The loss, compounded by the suspensions, hands Frank a significant team selection headache. Simons will serve a three-game ban, and Romero will miss one match. Speaking post-match, Frank acknowledged the need for control, stating, "I think any player needs to control their emotions and be cool-headed." He defended Romero's passion but conceded its costly consequences.
The Late Incident That Went Unpunished
However, the drama did not end with those two dismissals. In the late stages, substitute Richarlison, who had sparked hope by pulling a goal back for Spurs, was involved in an incident that arguably warranted a third red card for the hosts.
After scoring, the Brazilian forward was captured on camera grabbing Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike by the back of the neck and pushing him down while he was face-first on the turf. Analysis from Sky Sports pundits Jamie Redknapp and Daniel Sturridge suggested the behaviour was unnecessary and avoidable.
This type of action has precedent for a dismissal. The FA's rules on violent conduct state that a player who deliberately strikes an opponent on the head or face with the hand or arm, when not challenging for the ball, is guilty of an offence unless the force is negligible. Richarlison's actions were clearly deliberate.
Brooks' Busy Evening and Frank's Lucky Escape
The oversight from referee John Brooks and his VAR team means Thomas Frank can consider himself somewhat fortunate. Had Richarlison been sent off, Spurs would have been facing next weekend's fixture against Crystal Palace with three key players suspended.
The match highlighted a worrying trend for Tottenham of players losing their composure in big moments. While Frank backs the emotion of his squad, the practical outcome was a defeat snatched from a potentially positive performance and a depleted squad for the challenges ahead. The focus now turns to how Spurs can channel that passion more productively, while the officials' performance will undoubtedly be dissected in post-match reviews.
