Takehiro Tomiyasu’s red card against Crystal Palace has been labelled as an ‘absolute disgrace’.
That is the view of ex-Chelsea defender and talkSPORT host Jason Cundy, who believes the Arsenal defender’s second yellow card should be overturned.
The Japan international, who was making his first start of the season, was booked twice in the second half of the Gunners’ gritty 1-0 win at Selhurst Park.
His first caution from referee David Coote came after he was adjudged to have taken too long to take a throw-in.
That is despite only holding the ball for a matter of seconds after Kai Havertz dithered beforehand.
He was then given his marching orders in the 67th minute after being penalised for a foul on Jordan Ayew.
Coote was under the impression that he had pulled the forward’s shirt, but replays showed he barely touched the 31-year-old.
As it was a second yellow card, VAR was unable to intervene, and Arsenal cannot appeal the decision which could have costed them two points.
But speaking on The Sports Bar, Cundy and former Tottenham defender Jamie O’Hara insisted that Tomiyasu shouldn’t have to serve a one-match ban.
Expressing his outrage, Cundy said: “The Tomiyasu yellow card is an absolute disgrace – the second yellow. It’s an absolute disgrace.”
Interjecting, O’Hara stated: “The first one is harsh, Kai Havertz holds the ball on the side for 15 seconds, he then throws it to Tomiyasu.
“Tomiyasu takes it, he only holds the ball and he’s actually genuinely looking to throw the ball to someone.
“He holds it for eight seconds, he gets booked.”
Cundy replied: “So what about then if Tomiyasu throws the ball to someone else? I think that was just the referee saying, ‘you know what, Arsenal are taking the you know what here’.
“So even though he’s unlucky to get booked, actually, 25-30 seconds to take a throw-in? Is that what we are saying is acceptable? It’s not, is it?
“So I think that booking – even though it’s harsh on Tomiyasu – I can understand the booking, the second one, Jordan Ayew goes down looking for it.
“He doesn’t even touch him! I don’t think that Arsenal can actually appeal that as it was a second yellow.
“If there is any common sense, that yellow card should be overturned – if there’s any common sense in the game.
“That to me is not a second yellow, but VAR can’t interfere.”
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta remained tight-lipped over the sending off in his post-match interview with Sky Sports.
Asked for his view, he simply stated: “I am a really open person, I understand everything.”
Pressed for his opinion on the new rules being implemented for time-wasting, he remarked: “The new rules is one thing, the way it is communicated is very different.
“But we will adapt and today we had to win it in this context and that’s what we have done.”
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