The Premier League has explained why Cristian Romero escaped a red card in Tottenham’s 0-0 draw with Brentford on Thursday evening.
Spurs travelled to the Gtech Community Stadium looking to build on their narrow win over Crystal Palace, but Thomas Frank’s return to his former club ended in a dull stalemate with little to separate the two sides.
The key flashpoint came after the break when Romero was involved in an incident that raised questions over a possible denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. Referee Andy Madley chose not to send the defender off, and following a VAR check, the decision was upheld.
Posting on the Premier League Match Centre X account, officials confirmed: “The referee’s decision of no red card to Romero for a potential DOGSO offence was checked and confirmed by VAR, as there was no clear and obvious error.”
Brentford thought they had taken an early lead through Kevin Schade inside the first 10 minutes, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Aside from that, the game failed to spark into life, with both teams struggling to carve out clear-cut chances.
Tottenham also appealed for a penalty in the second half when Archie Gray went down in the area, but Madley waved play on and VAR supported the on-field decision.
Frank turned to Randal Kolo Muani and Mathys Tel late in the game in an attempt to find a winner, though neither substitute managed to change the outcome.
The match was also notable for the absence of last season’s top scorer Brennan Johnson, who is edging closer to a £33.5 million move to Crystal Palace. Reports suggest the Wales international has completed his medical, with Frank and sporting director Fabio Paratici informing him on New Year’s Eve that he was no longer part of the club’s long-term plans.
