Jamie Carragher issues verdict on Takehiro Tomiyasu red card in Arsenal win

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Jamie Carragher has suggested that he actually felt sorry for Takehiro Tomiyasu after the Arsenal defender was sent off in their win over Crystal Palace on Monday.

Carragher was speaking on Monday Night Football (broadcast on Sky Sports; 21/8; 22:08) after the Gunners made it two wins from two at the start of the new Premier League season.

Once again, it was a tense finish for Mikel Arteta’s side. This time, it was partially because Takehiro Tomiyasu had been sent off during the second-half at Selhurst Park.

The second caution was incredibly contentious with Jordan Ayew going to ground after breaking past the Japan international. There appeared to be little contact between the two.

Carragher reacts to Tomiyasu sending off in Arsenal win

Tomiyasu was already on a yellow after being penalised for time-wasting. However, Carragher clearly feels that the 24-year-old was actually punished for his teammates’ actions.

Carragher noticed that Thomas Partey had been warned about getting the ball back slowly just before the throw in which led to Tomiyasu’s dismissal.

And Tomiyasu had got the ball after Kai Havertz had spent a while on the sideline not taking the throw-in himself.

“You just look at the referee. ‘No more, we don’t want no more of it’. Arsenal wasting time. He’s telling Thomas Partey there,” he told Monday Night Football. “From this goal kick, it ends up going up the other end of the pitch. As I said, we’re almost 20 seconds away from where Arsenal find themselves with a throw-in close to the halfway line.

“And I actually feel sorry for Tomiyasu because I think the role of Thomas Partey initially. Now Kai Havertz actually picks the ball up. And the time when he gets it and picks the ball up ends up being about 20 seconds himself. But I think Havertz has a look then throws it to Tomiyasu.

“I don’t think Tomiyasu’s actually trying to waste time. I think he’s actually looking for a throw-in, to get it in quickly. He actually ran to pick up the ball. He wasn’t slow. I can understand the referee. But he’s almost took one for the team.”

Of course, the major frustration for Arsenal is that Tomiyasu cannot appeal the decision. The good news is Oleksandr Zinchenko did make his return later on in the game as Arsenal looked to see the contest out.

There will be a question mark over the consistency as it certainly was not the worst example of Arsenal time-wasting. And obviously, the incident involving Ayew should not have led to a second yellow.

But clearly, something had to be done about time-wasting. And hopefully this does lead to players changing their behaviour as there are few things more frustrating as a football fan.

However, Arsenal will feel like an example has been made of Tomiyasu. And you can guarantee that they will be watching very closely in future if an opposition player holds onto the ball for a fraction of a second too long.