I’d like to preface what I’m about to write by wishing Everton’s Andre Gomes all the best in recovering from what looks like a horrible injury.
But Gomes sustained said injury through an accidental collision with Serge Aurier, not the tackle which saw Son Heung-min sent off at Goodison Park.
Son jumped in on the marauding Gomes to bring him down and stop a Everton counter-attack, and the light contact made on the Portuguese midfielder caused him to fall into an accidental blow with Aurier.
As this video clearly shows, referee Martin Atkinson had the yellow card out for Son before the severity of Gomes’s injury became clear to everyone.
Andre Gomes broken leg?? #Son#Gomes#EVETOT pic.twitter.com/KIGzIPyHEh
— Nabzīī 🇵🇰🇲🇦📿 نبيل (@Nabzii_7860) November 3, 2019
As the drama unfolded around Gomes, with players and officials from both sides visibly expressing their shock and distress, Atkinson made an emotional decision, suddenly changing his mind and brandishing red.
Son was on the verge of tears, having to be consoled by Tottenham’s coaching staff, as he took his unjust punishment like a true professional.
Son Heung-min is sent off for a tackle on Andre Gomes, who is stretchered off with a horrifying injury, with both sets of players are visibly distressed.
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) November 3, 2019
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Everton made the most of their man advantage to snatch a 1-1 draw with a Cenk Tosun equaliser seven minutes into 12 minutes of stoppage time.
The Gomes injury is a separate issue to the Son red card, which never should have been and cost Spurs three vital points this afternoon.
you missed the Spurs penalty…Son was brought down, without question that was a penalty. VAR screwed that too and took 3mins to do it.
Well H, VAR is frankly a farce right now, but in the way it is being applied, rather than as a concept. Son’s challenge was absolutely no more than a yellow card. One sees such challenges, in every EPL game, with no ill effect on the player being fouled. A freak accident caused the horrendous injury to Gomes, but to then red card Sonny based upon outcome, rather than intent, is a patent miscarriage of justice.
Conversely I have to say, based upon the letter of the law, that Dele absolutely got away with one. The ball clearly brushed his hand, which was in an unnatural position, so under the current asinine ruling, where intent is removed from the equation, it is unquestionably a penalty. So VAR got that wrong also. Bearing in mind the unfortunate injury to Gomes, the application of VAR, at snail’s pace, led to an unprecedented 12 minutes of injury time, which is also ludicrous.
This group of players has reached its sell and use by dates, the manager is engineering his way out of the door with these team selections and performances.
Hopeless springs to mind