Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk may have been fortunate to avoid a red card after a questionable challenge on Anthony Gordon during the 3-3 draw with Newcastle United at St James’ Park yesterday.
Both teams shared the spoils in an exciting match, but Van Dijk was lucky to remain on the field after footage surfaced showing him pushing Gordon over in the penalty area.
A Newcastle fan account on X, formerly Twitter, flagged the incident, suggesting the Magpies had a valid claim for a penalty, while Liverpool might have benefited from the referee’s oversight in not sending Van Dijk off.
Van Dijk, who was nowhere near the ball, had no real reason to make such a challenge on Gordon, and Liverpool were fortunate the referee missed it.
While Van Dijk is an excellent player, this moment of recklessness was a rare lapse from the Dutch international and something Liverpool fans will want to avoid, as it could affect their title ambitions.
Should Van Dijk have been sent off for his challenge on Gordon? From our perspective, Newcastle fans are justified in feeling wronged, especially since other decisions didn’t go their way.
One key incident saw the referee blow for full-time just as Eddie Howe’s side were launching a promising counterattack.
This match was another example of disappointing refereeing in the Premier League this season, where standards continue to fall short.
Liverpool dropped points, narrowing their lead at the top of the table to seven points, and they could have even lost if key decisions hadn’t gone in their favor.
