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‘Petulant’ Liverpool moment lands Tottenham star FA charge

Originally posted on To The Lane And Back
By Rohan Sengupta | Last updated Dec 25, 2025 7:55 AM ET

Tottenham vs. Liverpool, which ended 2-1 in favour of the Reds, saw two sending-offs.

The game on Saturday was not short of controversial incidents and drama, which has often been the case when Tottenham Hotspur lock horns with Liverpool.

Liverpool edged past Spurs with a hard-earned 1-2 victory, and the scoreline told only half the story of a match defined by red cards, controversial decisions and team spirit. Despite going down to nine men, the Lilywhites managed to make life difficult for the Reds.

On Tuesday, Arne Slot lashed out at Micky van de Ven after his challenge on Alexander Isak to deny him from scoring led to the Liverpool striker suffering an ankle fracture. Spurs gaffer Thomas Frank believes that referee John Brooks got all three of his big decisions wrong, suggesting that the red cards to Cristian Romero and Xavi Simons were harsh and that Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike’s goal should have been chalked off.

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— FA Spokesperson (@FAspokesperson) December 24, 2025

Cristian Romero charged by FA Cup after Liverpool red card

Cristian Romero stirred up controversy during the game. Deep into stoppage time after a free-kick was awarded to Tottenham, Romero appeared to kick Ibrahima Konate while getting up from the floor and earned himself a second yellow card. Former Premier League referee Darren Cann termed the Argentina international’s actions “petulant” and felt it warranted a second yellow card from the referee.

On Wednesday, according to the Football Association (FA), Romero has been charged after being sent off in Liverpool’s win over Spurs. The FA charge is in relation to his misconduct after being shown the red card, with the Tottenham skipper finding himself booked for allegedly failing to leave the pitch immediately and behaving inappropriately towards referee John Brooks.

A statement shared by the official spokesperson for The FA reads:

“Tottenham Hotspur’s Cristian Romero has been charged following their Premier League match against Liverpool on Saturday 20 December.

“It’s alleged that he acted in an improper manner by failing to promptly leave the field of play and/or behaving in a confrontational and/or aggressive manner towards the match referee after being sent off in the 93rd minute. Cristian Romero has until Friday 2 January 2026 to respond.”

Romero will miss at least Sunday’s Premier League game against Crystal Palace after being shown two yellow cards. Frank talked about the discipline of his Tottenham side after the loss to Liverpool and also defended a “passionate” Romero, urging the other players to show leadership skills when required.

This isn’t the first time the 2022 World Cup winner has crossed the line, got himself sent off in a sulky way and left the team out. Being the captain and also one of the most experienced players in the squad, there is a certain responsibility on his shoulders to carry out. Known for his aggressive and front-footed style of defending, we have seen emotions getting the better of him several times in a Spurs shirt.

The fans hope Romero learns to control his emotions and lead the team by example during tricky situations.

This article first appeared on To The Lane And Back and was syndicated with permission.

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