The FA charge Cristian Romero after red card against Liverpool

Last Saturday’s match between Tottenham and Liverpool descended into chaos. The hosts were reduced to 10 men in the 34th minute when Xavi Simons was sent off for a reckless challenge on Virgil van Dijk. Liverpool then took the lead in the 56th minute through Alexander Isak, but the Swedish striker was immediately fouled by Micky van de Ven and was forced off injured. Isak is expected to be sidelined for the rest of the season.

Into stoppage time, Tottenham captain Cristian Romero was shown a second yellow card and subsequently sent off, leaving Spurs with just nine men. Romero had earlier been booked for dissent after arguing with referee John Brooks, before receiving another yellow for kicking out at Ibrahima Konaté.

After being dismissed in the 93rd minute, Romero remained on the pitch for around a minute to protest the decision. These actions led to further action from The FA. In a statement, FA said:

“Regulatory and Discipline Update: Tottenham Hotspur’s Cristian Romero has been charged following their Premier League match against Liverpool on Saturday 20 December. It is alleged that he acted in an improper manner by failing to promptly leave the field of play and/or behaving in a confrontational and/or aggressive manner towards the match referee after being sent off in the 93rd minute. Cristian Romero has until Friday 2 January 2026 to respond.”

As a result, Romero could face additional punishment if his response is not accepted by The FA. He will also miss Tottenham’s next league match against Crystal Palace on 28 December.

Meanwhile, Xavi Simons is set for a longer suspension after being sent off for serious foul play. The Dutch midfielder is expected to miss at least three matches against Crystal Palace, Brentford (2 January) and Sunderland (4 January).

The absences of both Romero and Simons could increase pressure on Tottenham manager Thomas Frank. Spurs currently sit 14th in the Premier League, having lost three of their last five league matches, and another defeat in the upcoming fixtures could put Frank’s position under serious threat.