Tottenham told Micky van de Ven should have been sent off against Chelsea

Moments before Palmer was shown his first yellow card for a clash with Mateus Fernandes, Van de Ven threw himself into a full-blooded sliding tackle on Caicedo, who was forced to hurdle the Dutchman’s raised leg.

Had he failed to do so, he might have caught raking studs high on his calf.

Van de Ven was booked retrospectively for the reckless tackle, which has now been broken down on Sky’s ‘Ref Watch’ show.

Micky van de Ven was booked for his reckless tackle

AFP/Getty

The former referee Dermot Gallagher said the incident was not deserving of a red card, but that referee Chris Kavanagh did well to show him a yellow card.

“I don’t think its a red card,” he said. “I think you have to be very, very careful what you start chucking red cards about for.

“The best thing to do with that kind of tackle is blow your whistle and stop it. If you blow your whistle there and stop it, yellow card him, the rest goes away.”

The former Tottenham player and manager Sherwood concurred, but warned Van de Ven is making a worrisome habit of these kinds of tackles.

“That was naughty,” he began. “(Caicedo’s) hurdle does a favour for him.

"If (Caicedo) does not jump, he breaks his leg. He is flying in there, and Micky has history with these, he has to be careful. His most famous one was (the tackle which broke Alexander Isak’s leg) when he comes through and just takes everything out. Referees don't see these.”

"It is reckless. He has to be careful with that."

Pressed as to whether he felt the Dutchman warranted a booking, he added: “No. Because (Caicedo) did jump. (Van de Ven is) reckless. He’s got to be careful.

“If I’m the manager, I’m saying ‘Micky, be careful’. There's no need to go flying in, he’s not in control of his body there.”