Former Premier League referee Graham Barber believes Cole Palmer should have been given a straight red card against Tottenham for his violent barge into Mateus Fernandes’ head.Chelsea ended their clash against Tottenham Hotspur with ten men after Cole Palmer was sent off for two bookings.The first came when, chasing back on Palmer, Mateus Fernandes made a cynical foul before dragging the ball back with his hand to stop the Chelsea man from continuing his run.Palmer, visibly furious, barged into Fernandes’ head as the midfielder tried to get up, knocking him back down to the ground in what appeared to be a violent action. Fernandes was rightfully shown a yellow card for the handball, while Palmer was also booked by referee Chris Kavanagh for his reaction. Still, questions remain as to why it was only a yellow, given the clear intent and force behind the attacking midfielder’s barge. Ironically, VAR did not even seem to check for violent conduct.Things are heating up at the Bridge as Cole Palmer and Mateus Fernandes both receive a yellow! 🟨 https://t.co/hYXFl6xlZi— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 24, 2026Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty ImagesGraham Barber questions Cole Palmer’s discipline after Tottenham winKarma eventually caught up with Chelsea, as Palmer was then sent off for another reckless challenge – this time on former Chelsea man Conor Gallagher.The attacking midfielder went in for the ball but caught Gallagher with his studs on the foot. That was enough to earn Palmer a second yellow and his marching orders, but former referee Graham Barber believes the number ten should not even have been on the pitch at that stage.He told Givemesport: “It wouldn’t surprise me if he had been sent off. I’ve always said to you that two yellows need to equal a red. So in the particular outcome of this match, it was yellow and yellow because his second challenge was equally poor. His second challenge was a late challenge, probably with a genuine attempt to make a tackle.“But his first challenge was just petulant. If he’d been sent off, I wouldn’t have been surprised.“The only thing sometimes you look at is the cynicism of Fernandes on the floor with a deliberate handball which, if you think about it from a player’s point of view, must be infuriating when somebody does something so far outside the laws of the game.“But having said that, that doesn’t justify his reaction. If he’d got a red card, no one would have argued. Nobody wants anybody to sit on the fence and if I was the referee I would have potentially sent him off, to be honest, because it was just a ridiculous reaction.”But Mark Halsey does not agree with Roberts’ view, with the former referee stating that Kavanagh’s decision to issue only a yellow card for the barge on Fernandes was correct.He told The Sun: “It all sparked to life in the 70th minute, where we saw [Micky] Van de Ven go charging into a reckless challenge on [Moises] Caicedo. The referee plays a good advantage and then we see [Mateus] Fernandes fall to the ground and deliberately handle the ball, which he was rightly cautioned for.“Cole Palmer, bit stupid from him, then adopts an aggressive attitude towards Fernandes while he’s on the floor. Some were asking ‘was it a red card?’ but, for me, a yellow card was the correct outcome because it was him adopting an aggressive attitude towards an opponent.”The former referee did however agree that Palmer should have beenn handed a second yellow card for his challenge on Conor Gallgher. Halsey continued: “Ten minutes later, he was shown a second yellow card by Chris Kavanagh, rightly so, for a late challenge coming down on Conor Gallagher’s ankle.“He can have no complaints whatsoever about the second yellow card, and Chris Kavanagh was absolutely spot on to issue that second yellow card.” Watch the incident that led to the red card below:Gary Neville believes Chelsea should have finished with nine menForget Chelsea going down to ten men – former Manchester United full-back Gary Neville, who was on commentary duty, argued that Morgan Rogers should also have been sent off.The former Aston Villa man, in an attempt to dispossess Gallagher, kicked the Spurs midfielder with no intent to play the ball.Neville, who also believed Palmer should have been dismissed for his first incident with Fernandes, said on Sky Sports following Rogers challenge: “That is a bad one, he’s got to be careful, it is a shocker that actually. “Rogers, I hate those ones. Jordan Henderson has got loads of experience but he should actually be furious with Rogers. I actually think that these ones are near to reds as well. I actually think that’s a red. I do, I just think it’s absolutely reckless. He’s absolutely wellered him, no intent, the ball is nowhere near.”Gary Neville thinks that Morgan Rogers should’ve been sent off for this challenge on Conor Gallagher. Do you agree with him? 🟥👀 pic.twitter.com/Lk4mH3ySXJ— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 24, 2026Neville also commented on Palmer’s dismissal, admitting the midfielder was fortunate not to have been sent off earlier. He said after the attacking midfielder left his studs on Gallagher’s ankle: “Cole Palmer’s lost his head in these last few minutes. He was lucky to avoid a red card earlier, and that one is a no-brainer.“To do that five minutes after the challenge on Fernandes is just silly. He sticks his studs in, he knows exactly what he is doing. Naughty, really naughty.”READ MORE: Mateus Fernandes snubbed from Team of the Week but one Tottenham star makes itThe post Former referee reveals whether Cole Palmer deserved a straight red vs Tottenham appeared first on Spurs Web.