Dermot Gallagher has insisted Cristian Romero did not deserve a red card after calls for the Tottenham defender to have been sent off in Sunday's win over Newcastle.
The Argentine lunged at Callum Wilson with the ball gone late on in his team's 4-1 victory, landing his studs on the striker's ankle before following through with his other boot.
Both referee Chris Kavanagh and VAR were satisfied with a yellow card for the challenge and ex-Premier League official Gallagher has backed their decision.
"It didn't leap out to me as a red card," he told Sky Sports News.
"It's quite amazing how everyone's gone with red-card challenges now. We've had 31 red cards after 14 rounds of football, only 30 last season altogether.
"It didn't leap out to me that it was a red card"
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Should Cristian Romero have received a red card for this challenge on Callum Wilson? 👀🟥 pic.twitter.com/vCHmPPTKwg
"I think that's the thing that people say, he does a double take [with the follow through], I don't know why people do that.
"It's amazing how the red cards are mounting up and people want more and more."
Opinion has been split on the challenge, with Gary Neville demanding on commentary that Romero receive his second red card of the campaign.
"Honestly, I think it's a red card at first look," said Neville, describing Romero as "absolutely mad" and "crazy".
"I said in the first half, he always has to tackle... jockeying, slowing himself down doesn't come into his head. That's a red, I'm sorry. I've got very little sympathy for him because he does it that often.
"[Wilson] is on the floor, he's defenceless. [Romero]'s just gone straight over the ball onto his ankle."
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe noted his relief that Wilson, only just back from injury, was able to play on from the tackle.
But Spurs players Dejan Kulusevski and Ben Davies told Standard Sport post-match that they have to trust Romero despite his combative style.
"He gives us so much, he's an unbelievable player and he always plays on that mark [line]," noted Kulusevski. "The only one that knows how long he can go is him. We've got to trust him, I trust him. He's my brother so whatever he does we support him."
Davies said: "He's an aggressive defender and he's going to go for the ball. He can't have got it that wrong, it wasn't a red card and VAR will check it. It might not have been the best tackle but that's football."
