Chris Sutton has strongly criticised Tottenham Hotspur central defender Cristian Romero on BBC Sport for getting sent off against AC Milan at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the UEFA Champions League in midweek.
The former Chelsea striker has said that Romero was an “idiot” for the way he got dismissed, leaving his Tottenham teammates with an uphill task.
Tottenham played out a goalless draw with defending Serie A champions AC Milan in North London in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie in midweek.
Spurs had lost the first leg 1-0 in Milan.
So, Antonio Conte’s side went out of the competition 1-0 on aggregate.
Argentine international defender Romero was sent off in the 77th minute.
The £165,000-a-week (Spotrac) defender, who won the 2022 Qatar World Cup with Argentina, was sent off late on after receiving a second yellow card for a wild challenge on Theo Hernandez.
And BBC Sport pundit Sutton was not impressed.
Sutton, though, does believe that Tottenham will win against Nottingham Forest at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.
The BBC Sport pundit has backed Spurs to pick up all three points from the encounter courtesy of a 3-1 win.
Chris Sutton on Christian Romero and Tottenham Hotspur v Nottingham Forest
Sutton wrote: “I am absolutely sick of Tottenham’s inconsistency – the latest example of which came in their draw with AC Milan on Wednesday that saw them knocked out of Europe.
“Spurs defender Cristian Romero was an idiot to get himself sent off with a needless wild tackle – where is your discipline and team ethic when you need it? – but it was a dismal night for them all round.
“The worst thing about their performance was because there was so much at stake.
“They had already played a weakened team against Championship side Sheffield United in the FA Cup last week and gone out of that, which really annoyed a lot of their fans because they haven’t won a trophy since they lifted the League Cup in 2008.
“I shouldn’t be surprised though, because so many of their performances all season have been really poor, even when they’ve won – give or take the odd moment where they have played well and made people think they are heading in the right direction.
“That’s not the case – there is a pattern with Spurs over the past few months when you look at their run of results where they win a couple, then lose a couple, or win one week and lose the next.
“That represents a really disappointing season for Tottenham and I think they have gone backwards. They lack a ball-playing midfielder and the boos from their fans after the Milan game showed what they think of the situation.
“Now Antonio Conte’s side are only playing for fourth place, and for some pride after going three games without a win and going out of two competitions.
“But you know what that means. Yes, we will see a response from Spurs and they will probably win this one comfortably.
“If it happens, let’s not pretend it will mean they have turned the corner.
“Forest have got the worst away record in the top flight with only one win, and six points in total, from 12 games. And Steve Cooper’s side got beaten 4-0 by West Ham the last time they were on the road.
“Sutton’s prediction: 3-1.”
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