Virgil van Dijk could only smile wryly as he gave his two cents on the major talking point from Liverpool’s defeat to Tottenham tonight.
The Reds were beaten 1-0 in north London after a late winner from Lucas Bergvall, who was fortunate not to have been shown a second yellow card just before the match-deciding moment.
The goal sparked a furious reaction from the visitors’ bench, with Arne Slot’s assistant Sipke Hulshoff booked by Stuart Attwell for his vociferous protests and the LFC head coach doing well to restrain his emotions when approaching the officials at full-time.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Van Dijk insisted that the referee made an error in not showing Bergvall a second yellow card for a rash challenge on Kostas Tsimikas, who happened to be off the pitch getting treatment at the moment that Tottenham’s goal was scored.
The Liverpool captain said of the contentious foul: “I think it was quite obvious that it was going to be a second yellow. Obviously I think it was pretty clear [what I said to the referee]. It was no coincidence then a minute later he scores the winner, but it is what it is.
“He made a mistake in my opinion and I told him that. He thinks maybe he didn’t but it was quite obvious I think and everyone on the sidelines knew it was supposed to be a yellow. [Bergvall] should’ve been off.
“There is a linesman there, a fourth official. There is VAR there and a referee, and he doesn’t get a second yellow. I’m not saying this is the reason we lost today, but it was a big moment in the game.”
"He should've been sent off."
Virgil van Dijk was not happy that Lucas Bergvall was still on the pitch when he bagged Spurs' winner against Liverpool pic.twitter.com/tNMifZmjVO
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) January 8, 2025
Van Dijk may have been smiling when he gave his thoughts on Bergvall avoiding a second yellow card, but it was clear to see that he was raging at Attwell for bottling a pivotal decision.
As the Liverpool captain rightly pointed out, the assistant referees also neglected to get involved when they would’ve had a case for doing so, not that the on-field whistler should’ve needed their input for what seemed an easy enough call to make.
Yes, the Reds were poor overall and had survived a couple of scares before the winning goal, and they have the second leg to retrieve the deficit from tonight, but that doesn’t excuse the abdication of duty from the match officials when it came to a crucial moment.
Van Dijk came out to face the music after his team’s defeat, but Attwell was able to slip away from north London without having to explain why he failed to show a second yellow card to Bergvall. Does that seem right to you?
The post ‘I told him…’ – Virgil van Dijk had words with Stuart Attwell after controversial Spurs winner appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.
