Monday 24 November 2014 11:56, UK
Hull manager Steve Bruce questioned Gaston Ramirez’s dismissal during the 2-1 defeat by Tottenham at the KC Stadium.
The Uruguayan midfielder was sent-off for kicking out at Jan Vertonghen, opening the door for a Spurs fight back as Harry Kane levelled before Christian Eriksen’s dramatic late winner.
Jake Livermore had fired the Tigers into an early lead and Bruce believes the lively encounter had been spoiled by harsh treatment from referee Craig Pawson.
"When you see it back there's only really the linesman who's 20 yards away and then he just ruins the spectacle as far as I'm concerned," he said.
"And of course it gives Tottenham a huge advantage and they've punished us in the end.
"I understand that they have really difficult jobs but why does he have to get involved? If he does get involved, why doesn't he just say 'it's a yellow card'?
"No-one in the ground has see it, no-one on the TVs have seen it. It's a little coming together. He (Ramirez) is a bit disappointed that he's not got the free-kick.
"An act of petulance yes. Is it violent conduct? Not for me anyway."
Bruce also suggested that Vertonghen’s reaction to the kick had convinced Pawson to reach for the red card.
The former Manchester United defender said: “We talk about diving and allegedly cheating...Vertonghen's a big strapping, 6ft 2in or 6ft 3in centre-back and he's rolling around as if he's been poleaxed and that can't be healthy for the Premier League.
"That's the disappointing thing for me, because it is creeping in.
"There's no doubt about it, Ramirez has shown what I would call petulance. Vertonghen has a little go at him which is there for everyone to see, provokes him, and he flicks out at him.
"The letter of the law says it's got to be violent conduct. But he has tapped him on the backside.
"If that really, really takes him to the ground I can't really understand that."
