Jurrien Timber avoided becoming the second Arsenal player to be sent off in as many games during a fiery north London derby.
The Dutchman’s heavy challenge on Tottenham’s Pedro Porro caused tensions to boil over in the first half of the Premier League clash.
The former Ajax defender left one on his Spurs counterpart after a crunching challenge but didn’t hear the whistle that came later.
Porro’s Tottenham teammates reacted angrily in response and a scuffle broke out between the two teams with plenty of shoving.
Eventually, Lilywhite goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario was booked for instigating the melee, with Timber receiving the same punishment.
VAR looked into whether the latter’s yellow card should be upgraded to a red but ultimately stuck with Jarred Gillett’s decision.
Gary Neville said on Sky Sports: “Just listening to what is being said in Stockley Park. Timber touches the ball but he doesn’t follow through over it which is what saved him from it being a red card.
“The foot goes on top of the ball but he hasn’t followed through. There was one here last season – the Curtis Jones where he tried to put his foot on top of the ball but went over it – and that ended up being a red card.”
The Premier League Match Centre confirmed on X: “The referee issued a yellow card to Timber for a challenge on Porro.
“VAR checked for a potential red card and confirmed the referee’s call of no red card, deeming this was a reckless challenge and not serious foul play.”
Dean Ashton agreed with the call, adding live on talkSPORT: “It’s just about right. Timber puts his foot on top of the ball and does catch him slightly. It is the right decision.”
Henry Winter: “Why does he need to put his foot over the ball, why does he have to be three inches higher?”
The incident occurred when Timber made a strong challenge on Porro, resulting in a yellow card for the Arsenal defender. The decision was contentious, especially as a total of seven yellow cards were issued before halftime, with Tottenham receiving five cautions from referee Jarred Gillett. The most debated moment, however, came when Timber came away with the ball following his tackle on Porro.
Tottenham’s players, led by goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, were quick to react, with Vicario clashing with Timber and igniting a tense scene involving several players. Porro remained down for a while after the challenge, further heightening the drama. After the dust settled, Timber and Vicario were both shown yellow cards. The incident was reviewed by VAR to determine if Timber’s yellow card should be upgraded to a red.
“Just hearing what’s been fed into the VAR at Stockley Park,” Neville explained. “They said Timber puts his foot on the ball and it doesn’t roll over, which is what saved it from being a red card.”
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