Jamie Redknapp made it clear that Josh Dasilva had no intention to purposely hurt Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg during Tottenham’s League Cup semi-final win against Brentford, as he told Sky Sports Football on Tuesday night.
With less than ten minutes left on the clock, Dasilva’s high and late challenge on the Spurs midfielder left him with bad cut on his shin.
On-field referee Mike Dean was told by VAR to go to his monitor and he didn’t hesitate to show a straight red after seeing the replays.
Redknapp made it clear that the correct call was made because Dasilva was ‘endangering an opponent’, but he defended the reason behind his tackle.
“Do I think it’s a red card? Yes, because it’s endangering an opponent. But do I think he means it? Absolutely not!
“I think he’s got the skill, he tries to almost chop it between his legs and then he sort of loses control of his body. His right foot then comes out. If you stop it there [as his right foot makes contact with Hojbjerg’s standing leg] that’s horrendous.
“But has he meant to do that? No. The reason why I say no is because most of the players I played football with, if you are right-footed you tackle with your right foot.
“He’s so left-footed that he wouldn’t even mean to tackle with his right foot. Look at his leg there and it looks like a right mess. I don’t think for one second Josh DaSilva has meant to do him. But it looks really bad.”
Hojbjerg’s reaction to the tackle says a lot because he didn’t make a meal of it and even wanted to go back on the field.
Jose Mourinho has asked for warriror-like players to be in that Tottenham dressing room and out on that pitch.
Well, the Spurs fans have found one in Hojbjerg, who has been one of their best players this season.
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