Liverpool F.C. took the lead against Tottenham Hotspur F.C. through a superb free-kick from Dominik Szoboszlai, with Guglielmo Vicario partly at fault for the goal. However, Spurs equalised in the 90th minute. With eight Premier League games remaining and pressure increasing on Arne Slot, a potential red card for Virgil van Dijk would have added further tension on Sunday, 15 March.
In the 55th minute, Richarlison looked set to break through and shoot past Alisson Becker but was pulled off balance and brought down while attempting his effort inside the penalty area.
Former referee Keith Hackett criticised the decision not to penalise the incident. He recalled previously highlighting several clear offences by Van Dijk that went unpunished and argued that this was another example. Hackett stated that the defender was holding Richarlison and clearly affected his movement, which should have resulted in a penalty and potentially a red card for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity. He also questioned why VAR did not intervene, noting that video replays clearly showed the holding offence even if the referee on the pitch lacked the correct viewing angle.
Following the incident, many fans across the Premier League criticised Van Dijk’s performance, claiming he struggled to cope with Richarlison. Some supporters also directed criticism toward Mohamed Salah despite his recent two-year contract extension at Anfield.
There was also a view among supporters that Richarlison had a major chance to punish Van Dijk had he converted the opportunity. Regardless, many felt the challenge warranted a sending-off. Reports indicate Liverpool currently intend to keep Van Dijk until his contract runs out in the summer of 2027.
