Jamie Carragher has criticised Harry Kane’s reaction to his clash with Abdoulaye Doucoure that saw the Everton midfielder sent off at Goodison Park on Monday night.
Doucoure was shown a red card after thrusting his hand into the Tottenham striker’s face during the second half of a 1-1 draw.
While most agreed that the midfielder was wrong to raise his hands, some felt Kane exaggerated the malice in the incident, turning and falling to the floor after the Mali international appeared to poke him in the eye.
Explaining that he would have felt “embarrassed” to have reacted in the same way, Carragher clashed with Sky Sports colleague Gary Neville, who felt Kane’s response was justified.
While former Liverpool and England defender Carragher believes the referee was right to send Doucoure off, he has little time for players trying to get opponents sent off.
“The debate is not about a red card - Harry Kane should not be going down for that,” Carragher explained.
“It can still be a red card by putting your hand in someone’s face, Doucoure is wrong and I’m sure Sean Dyche will tell him that, but I wouldn’t go down there as a player.
“I don’t think there’s nowhere near enough to let you go down, and, again, if I’d done that on a pitch I’d be embarrassed.
“I’ve got no problem with people diving or trying to win a penalty. The thing I really don’t like is players trying to get fellow professionals booked or sent off. I’ve got no problem with someone going down, winning a free-kick, jumping back up and getting on their feet.”
Kane would later convert from the penalty spot to put Tottenham in front, but a fine late equaliser from Michael Keane earned Everton a point.
In contrast to his fellow pundit, Neville stressed that most players would understand Kane’s reaction, and thinks the Spurs players would have congratulated the striker for his gamesmanship.
The former Manchester United defender said: “As a player, if we’re going in our dressing rooms we’re going, ‘Harry, well done, you got him sent off’.
“If Harry Kane stands up there, we are talking about winning Champions League football or staying in the Premier League with relegation, if he stands up there that might have been a yellow card because it is deemed as being just a little hand-off.
“Harry Kane’s gone down, whether he should have or not, it’s to make sure that Doucoure does get sent off.
“It’s a part of the game people don’t like but in our dressing room, if our forward [does that] we are there to win leagues, win games.
“People might call it cheating but you can’t put your hand in someone’s eye with a clasp like that.
“I’ve never done it but I’m giving Harry the benefit of the doubt, maybe because I know him.
“He does dive, he does go to ground and he’s clever but when those nails go in your eye, honestly that can shock you.”
Everton fans called the England skipper a “cheat” but Tottenham manager Cristian Stellini defended the striker.
“The fans are normal. They are unhappy but in my opinion it was a clear red card,” he said. “It happens sometimes. It is normal. With the fans, you have to realise the situation. I think it was a good decision.”
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