Tottenham manager Roberto de Zerbi was furious after Everton midfielder Merlin Rolle escaped a red card for a nasty challenge on Micky van de Ven on the final day of the game. The North Londoners went into the game knowing that if they lost, relegation would be a real possibility, and West Ham were able to salvage that situation by defeating Leeds United.
Although there were no early goals in either game, there was some drama at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as Everton narrowly avoided being cut down. Van de Ven was contesting the ball with Rohr and was adjudged to have fouled the Toffees midfielder. However, replays revealed that the Spurs defender had been caught by the studs of his opponent’s number.
However, the decision was not overturned by VAR and Roll was not penalized. This prompted a furious reaction from De Zerbi on the touchline, with the Tottenham manager adamant that he should have waved a red card.
Van de Ven remained seated and appeared to be in some pain, but got up and eventually continued playing. This was a turning point in the match, with the hosts losing momentum slightly after a strong start.
Former Spurs goalkeeper Paul Robinson, commentating on BBC Radio 5 Live, said: “It’s incredibly hot and the players won’t get used to it.
“If you look at the tempo of Spurs’ play, you can see how susceptible they are because when Everton have the ball they are very docile and go down quickly. Spurs look good going forward, but without the ball they look vulnerable.”
In the end, Joao Parinha broke the deadlock with a close-range goal just before half-time, giving Spurs some breathing room in the relegation battle.
Ahead of the match, De Zerbi sent a message of encouragement to Tottenham’s players, who will face the final day of the game having avoided the unthinkable.
“It’s the final, so we have to play with blood, character and spirit,” said the Belgian coach. “Last season they played a great final and won the trophy.
“Maybe there were bonuses? After tomorrow there will be no trophies and no bonuses. There are things more important than trophies and bonuses. Therein lies the future of the club.”
“There’s the history of the club, there’s the pride of the players, there’s the pride of the players’ families, there’s the dignity of each of us. So we can’t lose energy thinking about next season.”
