Jurrien Timber came close to being the second Arsenal player in as many games to be sent off, during a fiery North London Derby against Tottenham Hotspur. The Dutch defender found himself embroiled in controversy following a tough challenge on Spurs’ right-back Pedro Porro during the first half of the Premier League showdown.
Timber’s tackle, a forceful lunge that appeared to catch Porro, quickly ignited tensions on the pitch. Tottenham players reacted strongly to the foul, resulting in a heated confrontation between the two sides, with pushing and shoving breaking out. Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario became involved in the fracas and was shown a yellow card for his part in escalating the situation, while Timber was booked for the challenge on Porro.
The incident was reviewed by VAR to assess whether Timber’s yellow card should be upgraded to a red. After reviewing the footage, referee Jarred Gillett decided to stick with his original decision, ruling the challenge reckless but not severe enough for a sending-off.
Sky Sports commentator Gary Neville weighed in on the decision, suggesting that Timber avoided a red card largely because, while his foot went over the ball, he did not follow through in an overly aggressive manner. Neville pointed out that Timber’s foot did make contact with the ball initially, and the lack of a dangerous follow-through distinguished it from a more serious offense. Neville drew parallels with an incident from the previous season, where Liverpool’s Curtis Jones was sent off for a similar challenge in a game against Tottenham. In that case, Jones’ yellow card was upgraded to red after a VAR review, and the player was ultimately dismissed.
The Premier League Match Centre later confirmed on social media that VAR had reviewed Timber’s challenge and upheld the referee’s decision, ruling it reckless but not worthy of a red card. Dean Ashton, a pundit on talkSPORT, supported the outcome, noting that although Timber did catch Porro slightly, it wasn’t enough to justify a red card. Ashton emphasized that Timber’s foot placement on the ball was key in determining that a sending-off was unnecessary.
However, not all pundits agreed. Football analyst Henry Winter questioned Timber’s decision-making and technique, expressing concern over why the Arsenal defender raised his foot so high during the challenge. Winter suggested that Timber’s tackle was perilously close to crossing the line into a red-card offense.
The controversy recalled a similar moment in September 2023, when Liverpool’s Curtis Jones was sent off for a comparable challenge on Spurs’ Yves Bissouma. In that instance, VAR advised the referee to review the tackle, and the yellow card was upgraded to a red following a video review. Liverpool’s appeal to overturn the decision was unsuccessful.
Tottenham fans were particularly frustrated after Timber committed a second foul later in the match, where he grabbed Vicario’s shirt during a confrontation. Despite Timber’s two fouls, the referee opted not to show a second yellow card, while Vicario was booked for his involvement in the scuffle. The incident added to an ongoing debate about the fine line between aggressive and dangerous play in football, with opinions divided on whether Timber should have seen red.
