'Lucky boy' - Ex-refs chief: Everton ace 'escaped' red card vs Tottenham, but I back the referee

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Credit: Imago / Sky Sports Merlin Rohl a ‘lucky boy’ as ex-PGMOL chief re-analyses Tottenham-Everton ‘red card’ incident Mon 25 May 2026 10:30, UK Merlin Rohl was fortunate not to be sent off during Everton‘s defeat to Tottenham, but Michael Oliver wasn’t in the wrong either.That is according to former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee, Keith Hackett, who exclusively told Football Insider that decisions on the Toffees’ No.34’s challenge on Micky van de Ven were completely subjective.In the 20th minute, despite a free-kick being awarded to David Moyes’ side, Spurs’ star centre-back was left in agony on the floor, with replays showing Rohl leaving a high, studs-up challenge on him.Supporters at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium were absolutely furious, but with Joao Palhinha scoring the only goal of the game, it was not a moment that changed the outcome of the game, sadly for the Toffees.Michael Oliver not wrong, but Merlin Rohl fortunateVan de Ven led the Lilywhites over the line to victory on Sunday, 24 May, saving them from an embarrassing relegation, but the defender could have come off much worse thanks to the foul on him. First of all, I think it’s at most a reckless challenge.

But of course, VAR is unable to come in and say to the referee, ‘It’s a yellow card’. “He can only come in if he thinks and believes it’s a red card.

Two players come in, I think the player has cleared the ball, I think he’s played it first. But again, I think this is the speed at which you can look at it, the way you slow it down.