A controversial incident involving Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk and Tottenham Hotspur’s Richarlison marred the first half of their Carabao Cup semi-final second leg clash at Anfield, though the Reds ultimately emerged victorious.
Van Dijk’s tangle with Richarlison in the third minute sparked a heated reaction, with the former Everton forward falling to the ground clutching his face.
Referee Craig Pawson paused the game but opted against awarding a foul. Replays, however, showed that Van Dijk’s arm made contact with Richarlison’s face, raising questions about the officials’ decision-making.
Video Assistant Referee (VAR) Michael Salisbury reviewed the incident, focusing on the entanglement between the two players as they contested the ball. Richarlison appeared to believe he had been elbowed by the Liverpool defender.
Former PGMOL general manager Keith Hackett weighed in on the incident, suggesting that Van Dijk was fortunate to remain on the pitch.
Speaking to Football Insider, Hackett stated, “There is no doubt that Virgil van Dijk can count himself very, very fortunate to have used arm, or elbow, against his opponent and come away with no sanction. This was, at the very least, reckless and should have been a minimum yellow card; it bordered on excessive force. But I think I’d just give him the benefit of the doubt and go yellow, not red.”
A straight red card for violent conduct would have seen Van Dijk miss a crucial run of games, including Sunday’s FA Cup fourth-round tie against Plymouth Argyle, the highly anticipated Merseyside derby against Everton at Goodison Park, and the subsequent home game against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Ironically, Richarlison’s game ended prematurely due to an unrelated injury sustained in first-half added time.
Despite the early controversy, Van Dijk played a pivotal role in Liverpool’s victory, scoring the fourth and final goal of the night with a header from an Alexis Mac Allister corner.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot made several substitutions in the latter stages of the match, including replacing Curtis Jones with Mac Allister and bringing on Jarell Quansah for Van Dijk to see out the win.
Liverpool now advance to the Carabao Cup final at Wembley, scheduled for Sunday, March 16th.
