Tottenham Hotspur’s challenging start to the Premier League season worsened with a 1-0 defeat in the North London derby against Arsenal.
While the Gunners celebrated a vital win, Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher directed criticism towards Spurs defender Cristian Romero for his underwhelming performance.
The game featured opportunities for both teams, with Tottenham’s Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke threatening to score, while Arsenal’s Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli were kept at bay.
The defining moment came in the 64th minute when Bukayo Saka delivered an inswinging corner that Spurs failed to deal with. Arsenal’s Gabriel capitalized on the defensive lapse, heading in the winning goal.
Romero struggled to challenge effectively for the ball and later claimed he had been fouled in the build-up, but Carragher was unconvinced, calling Romero’s early-season form “very poor.”
Taking to X, the former Liverpool man said:
“Romero’s start to the season has been very poor!”
Romero’s start to the season has been very poor!
— Jamie Carragher (@Carra23) September 15, 2024
Romero, once praised for his consistency and solid defensive work, found himself under the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
The Argentine international had been one of Tottenham’s standout players last season, scoring five goals in 33 Premier League appearances while anchoring the defence. However, his start to this campaign has not been the best.
As Romero recently returned from international duty with Argentina in the Copa America, both manager Ange Postecoglou and Spurs fans had hoped he would regain his sharpness.
With Tottenham currently in the bottom half of the Premier League table, Romero’s return to form will be essential in helping Spurs recover and climb back up the standings.