Premier League pundit David Prutton thinks the reaction of Tottenham Hotspur coach Ange Postecoglou proved Yves Bissouma deserved his red card at Nottingham Forest.
Spurs secured a 2-0 win at the City Ground on Friday night with goals by Richarlison (45’+2) and Dejan Kulusevski (65’). But Bissouma ensured Tottenham would not have an easy win at Nottingham Forest when he tempted referee Jarred Gillett to give a red card on 70 minutes.
Gillett sent Bissouma off for a high foul on Danilo following an initial VAR review by Michael Oliver. Postecoglou also reacted to the 27-year-old’s red card and brought Richarlison off for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg. Steve Cooper had only just introduced Danilo in the 68th minute, too.
Yves Bissouma left Ange Postecoglou looking ‘guilty’ at Nottingham Forest
Bissouma left Gillett with little choice but to show a red card once Oliver alerted the on-field referee to his foul. His tackle on Danilo was nearly knee-high and will now see Tottenham be without their 29-cap Mali international midfielder for their next four Premier League games.
His red card at Nottingham Forest is the second time this term that Bissouma has been sent off during one of Tottenham’s Premier League matches. The former Brighton & Hove Albion anchor also received two yellow cards at Luton Town for two fouls inside a mere 11 minutes.
Prutton also believes Bissouma can have no arguments about his red card on Friday night as Tottenham beat Nottingham Forest. The former Reds midfielder also feels the reaction from Postecoglou was a huge indicator of the midfielder committing a foul worthy of his red card.
“This, to me, is a red card,” Prutton told Premier League Productions (15/12, 21:33). “It’s an awful challenge. He can have absolutely no debate about [it]. This has got to be a red card. Even the look on Ange Postecoglou’s face is the look of guilt for Yves Bissouma.”
What Premier League games will Tottenham Hotspur’s Yves Bissouma miss?
As Bissouma had already received a red card during a Premier League game this season, the midfielder will now face a four-game suspension for his sending off at Nottingham Forest. It even takes him to six games missed through suspension this season given his yellow cards.
Bissouma received a one-match for his double-yellow day at Luton that kept him from facing Fulham in October. He later received another one-game ban that kept him from facing Aston Villa in November. Now, Postecoglou will not have Bissouma available again until January 14.
Tottenham will see Bissouma miss Premier League games with Everton, Brighton and AFC Bournemouth following his red card. The suspension also carries over to the FA Cup, unlike with yellow cards, so Bissouma will also sit out Tottenham’s third-round tie against Burnley.
Spurs’ trip to Manchester United on January 14, then, is when Bissouma can return from his red card suspension. But the midfielder may also be unavailable to Postecoglou by then as the 2024 AFCON starts on January 13 with Mali also playing their first game on January 16.
Mali will end the group stage of AFCON on January 24, while the final is on February 11. So, depending on how Les Aigles fare, Tottenham might be without Bissouma until January 31 when they host Brentford after the winter break or when they host Wolves on February 17.
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