Rabiu AminuThe analysis provided by Jamie Redknapp and Micah Richards on Sky Sports largely focused on the controversial penalty awarded to Newcastle late in the game (which Anthony Gordon scored) after the VAR review.
🎙️ Jamie Redknapp’s Analysis (Focus on Consistency)
Jamie Redknapp’s primary point was a criticism of VAR’s lack of consistency when dealing with holding offences in the box, particularly on corner kicks. He strongly implied he did not believe the incident warranted a penalty.
View on the Incident: Redknapp questioned the decision to overturn the on-field referee’s initial decision of “no penalty” after the VAR check for a tussle between Tottenham’s Rodrigo Bentancur and Newcastle’s Dan Burn.
The Lack of Complaint: He highlighted Dan Burn’s reaction (or lack thereof) immediately after the fall: > “Look at Dan Burn, he’s not even complaining. He not once got up with any sort of aggression to say referee, ‘what are you doing?'” >
The Consistency Argument (His Main Point): Redknapp stated that this level of contact happens routinely on set pieces and is rarely penalised: > “Is he holding him? Is he impeding him? Yes, possibly. We see this week in and week out. Where’s the consistency? We see this game in and game out in the Premier League and they don’t get given.”
The “Threshold”: He challenged the officiating standard, stating that if this is the new threshold for a penalty, then officials need to apply it uniformly: > “If that’s going to be the threshold and penalties are going to be given for that, no problem. But we want consistency, and that isn’t.” > * Verdict: Redknapp concluded that the tussle was a “definite wrestle” involving both players, and he didn’t see it as a penalty because he’s seen far worse go unpunished.
🎤 Micah Richards’ Analysis (Focus on The Rule)
Micah Richards acknowledged the specific criteria the referee was instructed to look for but argued that the offence still didn’t meet the necessary threshold for a penalty. * The Rule: He conceded that the fact Bentancur was not looking at the ball “fits the criteria” for a holding offence being penalised. * The Threshold of Holding: Richards’ view was that the holding wasn’t “sustained” or “impactful” enough to warrant the spot-kick: > “In terms of not looking at the ball, that fits the criteria. But there is not enough holding there. Dan Burn is just too strong for him.” > * The Referee’s Original Call: He agreed with Redknapp that the original call was correct: > “The referee made a really good decision in not giving it. VAR has put doubt in his mind and then he is going to have to give it.”
> Redknapp’s Praise for Spurs’ Character
Separately, Redknapp also praised Tottenham’s character for twice fighting back to secure the 2-2 draw, particularly highlighting the performance of their captain:
Team Character: He stated that Spurs “showed tremendous character” and that the result was “exactly what Spurs needed.” *
Cristian Romero: Redknapp singled out the Spurs captain, Cristian Romero, for his leadership and performance, especially his stunning, late equaliser: > “They had a captain and a leader who grabbed that game by the scruff of the neck… Two great goals, certainly the first one was a world-class diving header, the second one a shinaldo!” >
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