Gary Lineker calls for Premier League rule change after 'silly' Tottenham decision vs Man Utd

Richarlison thought he had secured Tottenham all three points against Manchester Utd – but Matthijs de Ligt scored an equaliser deep into stoppage time in the Premier League clash

Gary Lineker has called for a rule change after Richarlison was booked after scoring for Tottenham against Manchester United.

Spurs were seconds away from only a fourth Premier League home win in 2025 when the Brazilian scored. However, there was still time for Matthijs de Ligt to head home a dramatic last-gasp equaliser.

Mathys Tel had earlier cancelled out Bryan Mbeumo's first-half header. But Richarlison was booked after he scored, as he took off his shirt during his celebrations.

And Lineker, speaking on the Rest is Football podcast, believes that although it was a careless thing for the former Everton man to do, the time has come to change the rules.

He said: “Richarlison thought he'd won the game for Tottenham, didn't he, ripping off his shirt, and then obviously they get extra time for that, and then they're scoring that extra time.

“I think it's a stupid law to get a yellow card, and obviously, if it happens in injury time, you get extended injury time. But also, even though it's a silly law, you know what it is, and I just don't understand why.

"I know you can get overexcited, but you can get overexcited by doing something else other than rip your bloody shirt off.

“It's a bit daft, but I get it. It's a big goal for him, and he thought at the time he'd won the game. But I mean, honestly, footballers, Micah.

Micah Richards then said: “You know what? I can't even grumble at the fact that he's taking off his shirt, because he's playing it in real life. I feel that way on Fantasy Football, so I understand you.”

Reflecting on United’s stoppage-time equaliser, Spurs boss Thomas Frank said: "A lot of things we could have done a bit better, the last one is all about the urgency, maybe don't give the cross away and defend better.

"Second half we got more bite in the man to man pressure, which was not working as it should have been in the first half."

Frank added: "Of course it's not that I'm going away from here and not being disappointed at leading with one minute to go and you don't win, that will always be the case.

"What I'm focussing on is especially that the second half was a good performance. I was very happy with the way we turned it around.

"We stayed in the game, did the right thing, keep pushing - in a game when two teams neutralise each other you don't create too much, that's natural, but how the boys kept fighting was hugely impressive."