The disciplinary committee of the English Football Association (FA) has decided not to punish Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford for a reckless intervention against Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk in Saturday’s league derby (2: 2). According to the BBC, she left the verdict on the main referee together with the video referee, who decided not to give Pickford any punishment in the match.
“In these situations, the Disciplinary Committee has the power to punish the player additionally, but only in exceptional cases does it intervene in situations where both the referee and the video referee see the intervention. And it will not intervene this time either.” stands in the FA statement.
The 26-year-old goalkeeper of the English national team Pickford threw himself under Van Dijk’s feet and hit him in the right knee. The 29-year-old Dutchman had to replace in the 11th minute and then heard an unfavorable verdict from the doctors. With an injured anterior cruciate ligament, he has to undergo surgery and could be out of the game for up to eight months.
Everton escaped from the situation without a penalty, instead of the penalty kick Liverpool played an indirect kick due to Van Dijk’s close offside. Pickford was not punished either, although according to English experts he should have been expelled.
“Everyone’s asking us about it, so I think it was on the red card. It wasn’t a nice intervention. To be fair to Jordan (Pickford), he came to me after the match, apologized, and told me to tell Virgil,” said Liverpool captain and Pickford’s English teammate Jordan Henderson after the match.
Van Dijk himself stated on twitter that he did not want to return to the whole matter and that he was looking ahead. “I am ready for the challenge that awaits me. Now I will fully concentrate on healing and will do my best to return to the field as soon as possible. to come back better and stronger than ever before, ” said the defender of Liverpool.
“In football, it’s the same as in life. I think it’s all happening for a reason, and it’s important to try to keep your balance, whether it’s ups and downs.” added the wounded Van Dijk.
Liverpool did not maintain a lead due to the absence of a key man of the team, and because the referees did not recognize Henderson’s goal in the end again due to a tight offside, both teams split amicably. In the Everton leader, the defending champions lose three points from third place.
In addition, according to former English representative Chris Sutton, Van Dijk’s absence will significantly reduce the “Reds” ‘s chances of defending the title. “It’s a huge loss for Liverpool. It’s their rock, the organizer of the game backwards. Simply put, it’s irreplaceable. They’ll have to fill this gap because it’s a key player for them. It definitely greatly reduced their chances of defending.” said Sutton.
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