Manchester United icon Rio Ferdinand slammed Tottenham Hotspur skipper Cristian Romero following the latter's red-card preceding tackle on Red Devils midfielder Casemiro in a Premier League game at Old Trafford on Saturday, February 7.
Rio Ferdinand calls Cristian Romero 'liability'
With the goalless in the first half, Romero missed the ball and stood on Casemiro's ankles, leading to an immediate red card for the Argentine defender. It was Romero's fourth Premier League red card, the joint most by a Spurs player, also Younes Kaboul) and sixth dismissal in 152 games across all competitions.
Ferdinand tore into the Argentine international, calling him as a 'liability,' with the former Manchester United centre-back tweeting:
"Romero is a liability."
The Premier League match centre shared that Romero's 29th-minute red-card incident was for 'serious foul play' and use of 'excessive force' to 'endanger' an opponent:
"The referee’s call of red card to Romero for serious foul play was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed that the challenge was made with excessive force and endangered an opponent."
Romero will now Spurs' next four fixtures - Newcastle United (home), Arsenal (home), Fulham (away) and Crystal Palace (home) - before he becomes eligible to return against Liverpool (away) on March 15.
BBC expert Danny Murphy wrote regarding the incident:
"Romero goes through the ball with too much ferocity and catches Casemiro. It's a red card. It is irresponsible, especially after a week where he's been talking about recruitment and a lack of players.
"Now he's going be missing for four games. He's the captain, the leader - he needs to do better. He's let his team-mates down, because they were in the game."
Former Everton midfielder Leon Osman, though, does not think Romero's four was a straight red card:
"I think that is a borderline one. It is a contact sport. Casemiro's speed of thought gets him there first and Romero as he always does is fully committed. For me, it is not an automatic red because it's not like he was high and over the top of the ball, but he does make contact."
Manchester United are on a three-game winning streak in the league and are fourth in the table.