Tottenham Hotspur escaped with a point from their goalless draw at Brentford, but the result was overshadowed by a contentious refereeing decision involving defender Cristian Romero. The Argentina centre-back fouled Brentford forward Igor Thiago while being the last defender and appeared to use his hands in the process, yet referee Andrew Madley awarded no infringement and allowed Romero to remain on the pitch.
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher, speaking on Sky Sports' Ref Watch, argued that Romero should have been sent off. "He challenges for the ball, he doesn't get the ball, he gets Thiago, there's no doubt about that. Is Thiago in possession? Most certainly. He'll skip by and he's away on goal. For me, foul, red card, easy decision," Gallagher said.
Spurs also had penalty appeals turned down after Archie Gray was tackled by Kevin Schade and Nathan Collins in the area. Replays showed minimal contact, and Gallagher agreed with the on-field decision. "I do not think it is a foul because Schade bumps into him. There is a little bit of a nudge, but if you watch Gray, he actually throws himself forward and uses Collins's calf to go over – I thought no foul," he explained.
The draw leaves Tottenham in 12th place in the Premier League, seven points adrift of the top four with 19 games played. Brentford, meanwhile, remain in mid-table after a run of inconsistent results.
Brentford now face a busy schedule, including a home match against Sunderland and a trip to Bournemouth, before hosting Aston Villa in the FA Cup third round and a Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund later in the month.
