Manchester United hosted Tottenham in the Premier League on Saturday, Feb. 7, and it was Cristian Romero who stole the spotlight. The defender was sent off, and Rio Ferdinand criticized him for his reckless tackle.
Cristian Romero Branded a Liability by Rio Ferdinand Following Dismissal Against Man United
Manchester United eased to a 2-0 win at Old Trafford, with goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes. The Red Devils were aided by Romero after he was sent off in the first half, when the score was still 0-0.
The Argentine defender mistimed his clearance and went through Casemiro, nearly standing on the Brazilian midfielder’s ankle. The referee had no choice but to send him off, even without assistance from VAR, which agreed with the on-field decision.
Cristian Romero gets a red for his tackle on casemiro 🤯.
A very dangerous tackle. He deserves the red card.
.
.#MUNTOT #GGMU #OccupyNASS kwara / Ronaldo / Carrick pic.twitter.com/hLj83YM5VH— King 👑 (@DaveOrei) February 7, 2026
Romero’s red card prompted an immediate reaction from Ferdinand, who took to X to criticize the Tottenham star. He posted a four-word message: “Romero is a liability.”
Romero is a liability…
— Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) February 7, 2026
The sending off was the Argentine’s second of the season, meaning he will be suspended for four matches instead of the usual three. He will miss the Newcastle United clash, followed by three London derbies against Arsenal, Fulham, and Crystal Palace.
Former Spurs defender Michael Dawson, speaking on Sky Sports, was furious with Romero. He claimed the dismissal has put extra pressure on manager Thomas Frank, who has failed to impress since taking over in the summer. Dawson said:
“It’s an absolute nightmare for Thomas Frank. This is a disaster for Thomas Frank. As a manager, you’re sitting in 14th, and you’re going, ‘my captain has come out and said this’. Now he leaves his team down to 10 men. I’m baffled. As a captain, you’re supposed to lead by example. You leave your team vulnerable, 10 men at Old Trafford. Your losing your captain and one of your best players. He’s let his team down again today.”
Romero made his Tottenham debut in August 2021 and has been sent off six times in all competitions — no other Premier League player has been sent off as many times. His four red cards in league play match the unwanted record held for Spurs by former player Younes Kaboul.
