(Credit: Sky Sports/Imago)

Jacob Raw

Sun 24 May 2026 16:51, UK

Mike Dean thought that Everton star Merlin Rohl could and should have been sent off after a high challenge on Micky van de Ven against Tottenham this Sunday.

The Toffees lined up for their final Premier League game of the season, hoping for a result to end the campaign on somewhat of a high note.

Everton fans weren’t too pleased to learn of David Moyes‘ starting eleven, especially considering what was at stake for both sides.

Tottenham were fighting tooth and nail to stay in the Premier League coming into this one, and a controversial first-half incident almost saw the hosts gain a major advantage.

Rohl caught van de Ven high, but as Dean suggests, the Everton midfielder may have been lucky to have escaped a red card from referee Michael Oliver.

Mike Dean and Michael Dawson react to Merlin Rohl incident

Rohl has had some impressive moments for Everton after his recent run of games in the side, but is still showing flaws in his game.

The German midfielder will technically be Moyes’ first signing of the summer, as his loan contract from Freiburg included a permanent buy clause, if the Blues were to stay in the Premier League.

However, the 23-year-old may have gotten lucky after his challenge on van de Ven.

While speaking on Sky Sports, Dean conversed with former Tottenham defender Michael Dawson about Rohl’s potential red card incident against van de Ven.

Dawson said: “Baffled, actually, Rohl’s follow-through goes high on van de Ven, I don’t think it was a foul to Everton in my opinion. The Spurs bench goes mad. Van de Ven plants his foot, that cannot be a foul [for Everton], yeah, yeah, that’s a red card.”

Dean replied: “He’s given a foul for the follow-through. When you look back, he’s very, very lucky, and he’s given the free-kick the wrong way.”

Everton were awarded the foul for the incident, and despite a VAR check, the German wasn’t sanctioned, but it didn’t stop Joao Palhinha from bundling the ball in minutes later.

What we learned in 45 minutes against Spurs

Moyes will rightfully come under fire for his decision to start Michael Keane and James Tarkowski once again.

Beto was placed on the bench, but Thierno Barry showed why he hasn’t been playing in that first 45, and how Tim Iroegbunam still gets the nod is baffling in itself.

Everton’s first-half stats vs Spurs:

• Possession: 34%
• xG created: 0.16
• Duels won: 50%

Everton have a serious problem with set-pieces at the moment, at both ends of the field, and this could be a damaging result for Moyes.

There’s still 45 minutes left to play, so let’s hope the Toffees can ruin Tottenham’s party; however, that’s probably wishful thinking.

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