'More of a foul' - Ex-Premier League referee banishes Tottenham Hotspur complaints in Arsenal derby win

Arsenal reigned victorious in the opening north London derby of the 2024/25 campaign, with set-pieces once again being the difference between triumph and defeat. While the Gunners have worked closely with Nicolas Jover to become one of the best in the league at set-pieces, it once again proved to be Spurs’ undoing with a corner kick from Bukayo Saka finding Gabriel who powered it past Guglielmo Vicario.

However, while the Gunners can now claim north London as red until at least January, many felt that the goal should not have been allowed with Spurs star Cristian Romero believing he had been fouled in the lead-up to the goal. Ange Postecoglou’s side may well have felt aggrieved but VAR did not intervene and the goal was allowed by referee Jarred Gillett.

Taking to Sky Sports’ Ref Watch following the incident, former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher and ex-England international Sue Smith shared their thoughts on the situation, believing Gillett to have made the right call.

When asked if he thought the goal should have stood, Gallagher said: “I think yes, I think it’s a physical game and the referee lets a little bit go - interesting, if you think that’s a foul then there’s certainly a foul by the defender on the line. I think it’s Romero who grabs someone round the waist which is more of a foul. So I think the referee has got that right.”

Smith then added to the debate by saying: “No I don’t think there’s enough in it (to overturn). I think when you look at Romeo, his body position, it has to be better. He’s facing the other way to Gabriel, there’s always going to be a slight physical contact in the area, I don’t think there’s enough of a push. I don’t think that should have been ruled out.”

This was not the only controversial refereeing decision from the game with many Spurs fans believing Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber should have been sent off following a tackle on Pedro Porro and his subsequent altercation with Vicario. While Vicario received a yellow for the ‘brawl’ that took place after Timber’s hit on Porro, the Dutch star received just the warning for his tackle on the Spurs right-back and not for his incident with the Italian goalkeeper.

Either way, Spurs must now put their aggrievements behind them and seek to improve their set-piece defences as they prepare to face Coventry City on Wednesday in the third round of the EFL Cup.