Eric Dier: Should the Spurs midfielder have received a second yellow against Bournemouth?

Eric Dier was substituted at half-time by Tottenham‘s manager Mauricio Pochettino, having received a yellow card within the first 11 minutes of the Premier League match against Bournemouth.

The Spurs holding midfielder went on to commit two obvious fouls for which he could have received a booking – one of which was a clear penalty which went unpunished.

Son Heung-min received a red card in the first-half for his violent reaction to a foul by Jefferson Lerma, while Dier’s replacement, Juan Foyth, received one two minutes after his half-time substitution for an ugly sliding challenge.

Tottenham went on to lose the match 1-0.

The incidents

Another for Tottenham!

Juan Foyth has barely been on the pitch for two minutes but is heading back down the tunnel for this late lunge on Simpson!

Watch live on Sky Sports Premier League or follow in-game clips and highlights here: https://t.co/Ku7s6Rq9Kg pic.twitter.com/TRHBLy7fgK

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 4, 2019

The first incident involved Eric Dier losing control of the ball in the Bournemouth half. Ryan Fraser collected the ball and began to break away. Dier then slid in from behind to attempt to challenge the ball. It initially looked like he had gone through Fraser to take the ball, but replays later showed he did not get a touch on it, arguably warranting a second yellow card.

The second challenge took place in the Tottenham area. As Callum Wilson attempted to get a shot off, Dier went to kick the ball, only making contact with the back of Wilson’s legs, as you can see in the image of the top of this article. The Bournemouth forward went down and referee Craig Pawson let play go on.

What the rules say

Dier could have been booked under Law 12, which states that states a player can be cautioned if they “commits in a reckless manner a direct free kick offence”. Both his first-half challenges arguably fall into this category.

He also could have been booked for the foul on Fraser under the definition that he committed “a foul which interferes with or stops a promising attack”.

Reaction

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Pundits, commentators and fans on social media remarked that Dier was lucky to remain on the pitch until half-time. Others made light of the fact his replacement Juan Foyth was red carded two minutes after the substitution – widely perceived as a safety measure against a dismissal.

Halftime assessment: Dier’s devious foul should have at least been a yellow. Terrible refereeing. #BOUTOT

— James Benitez (@AtlantaLFC) May 4, 2019

We now go live to Eric Dier trying to play football:#BOUTOT pic.twitter.com/zvExFdZVKT

— Goal (@goal) May 4, 2019

Eric Dier knows he’s being filmed, right?

— Greg Johnson (@gregianjohnson) May 4, 2019

Eric Dier shouldn't even be on the pitch before this.

If you think for a 1min that ref isn't competent, then you aren't paying attention. pic.twitter.com/29G5UO7mL9

— IslingtonGoonerAFC (@Born_a_gooner) May 4, 2019

Son Heung-min trying to work out how he got sent off in the first half and Eric Dier didn’t #BOUTOT pic.twitter.com/rjYNkiPmAM

— Did It Cross The Line? (@diditcross) May 4, 2019