While the 1-1 draw between Tottenham and Everton at Goodison Park didn’t do either side too many favours, football almost took a back seat in the end to the horrific injury sustained by Andre Gomes towards the end of the game.
The Everton midfielder fell awkwardly onto Serge Aurier after being fouled by Son and suffered a terrible fracture on his right ankle.
While Son was initially shown the yellow card for the challenge, the South Korean, who was visibly distraught after looking at the extent of Gomes’ injury, was subsequently sent off by Martin Atkinson.
While Tottenham have appealed the decision to send Son off, former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg has backed Atkinson’s decision to give the 27-year-old his marching orders.
In his column for the Daily Mail, Clattenburg wrote: “I understand why Martin Atkinson sent off Son Heung-min for the challenge that led to Andre Gomes’ horror injury.
“However, I am still not certain that Son’s actions alone were the cause of the leg break suffered by the Everton midfielder. The Premier League say Son’s tackle endangered the safety of an opponent, and they are right.
“Both Atkinson and the VAR official, Anthony Taylor, would have been looking at the consequence of Son’s challenge.
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“I understand why Martin Atkinson sent off Son Heung-min for the challenge that led to Andre Gomes’ horror injury.
“However, I am still not certain that Son’s actions alone were the cause of the leg break suffered by the Everton midfielder. The Premier League say Son’s tackle endangered the safety of an opponent, and they are right.
“Both Atkinson and the VAR official, Anthony Taylor, would have been looking at the consequence of Son’s challenge.”
However, he admitted that Atkinson would have able to get a better understanding of the situation had he watched a replay of the incident in the monitor.
Clattenburg added, “What I don’t understand is why, during the lengthy stoppage, Atkinson did not look at his pitchside monitor. His original decision was a yellow card for what was a foul and trip by Son.
“He has changed his mind having seen the extent of the injury – and he is right to do this if we follow the Laws – but why not take a look at the monitor to get a better idea of how the injury was caused?
“There was ample time for him to do this and Mike Riley and the PGMOL continue to go against IFAB guidelines by not using the monitors.
“But it was not a good day for VAR. Dele Alli should have been penalised for handball and a penalty awarded.
“His hand was above his head in an unnatural position when the ball struck it, and that is a penalty.”
Spurs Web Opinion
If the laws do suggest that consequence of a tackle is the main criteria to judge the extent of the punishment, then that makes very little sense as players can get bad injuries from innocuous challenges while potentially dangerous tackles can sometimes leave an opponent completely unscathed. The Gomes incident was clearly a case of the former and I believe the red card should be rescinded.
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