Must have thought the offside decision nullified the tackle on Virgil van Dijk.
The situation before the break in the Meryseyside derby between Everton and Liverpool is still hotly debated, after Virgil van Dijk tore the cruciate ligament as a result of a scare tackle from Jordan Pickford.
Liverpool’s Dutch midfielder first snuck free on the back post, before he was literally injured by the Everton goalkeeper.
However, there was never a penalty kick in the situation as the video images showed that van Dijk was on the marginal offside ahead of the situation.
The referee issue could still have given Pickford a red card for the tackle afterwards, but the English national team goalkeeper was allowed to continue playing without the offense having consequences.
In retrospect, it turned out the VAR room did not even consider whether Pickford should be shown off the field, and now writes Daily Mail that the referee team in the VAR bus literally forgot the rule that they can assess a situation even after an offside.
Also read: The tackle created violent reactions – now the police are involved
The tabloid newspaper writes that VAR judge David Coote, who by the way was in action as chief judge on Monday, thought the offside decision nullified what happened after the situation.
While van Dijk in all probability loses the whole season for Liverpool, Everton managed to take one point after 2-2 at Goodison Park.
The Daily Mail writes that sources in Liverpool say that the club believes Coote was too distracted with the offside, and therefore did not look at a possible red card at Pickford.
Referee Mike Riley, however, is said to have spoken to the red-clad, and claimed that the referee team assessed the situation to the point that a red card should not be given.
VAR CONTROL: David Coote was in charge of the VAR bus during the settlement between Liverpool and Everton.
Foto: Andrew Boyers (AP)
Smoke the cruciate ligament
Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah scored Liverpool’s goals in the match against Everton, but Michael Keane and Dominic Calvert-Lewin ensured that there was one point for each team on Sunday.
The local settlement was of the hot kind, and in overtime Everton’s Richarlison was also sent off after tackling Thiago Alcantara.
The situation between Pickford and van Dijk nevertheless became the big topic of conversation after the match, and on Sunday came the disappointing message from the Liverpool camp that the midfielder had suffered a serious cruciate ligament injury.
The tackle has led to strong reactions, and Sky Sports expert Graeme Souness was early in announcing that Pickford should have been sent off.
– That was not a tackle, it was an assault, he said after the match.
Souness also reacts strongly to the fact that VAR did not intervene and had Pickford sent off.
– It should not be possible with the time they spend and the technology they have.
Police connected
Several Liverpool supporters will also be furious after the club’s most important player now seems to lose the rest of the season.
However, there are some who have crossed the line and come directly against Pickford.
The Mirror writes that the police are now investigating some of the hate speech that is said to have been directed at the Everton goalkeeper, as well as Richarlison.
A spokesman for the police says that they are now investigating a number of Twitter messages aimed at the two Everton players.
– The language used in these Twitter messages is totally unacceptable and we take this extremely seriously. Those who use the internet to attack others and who come with threats or hate crimes do not follow the law, the police say.
The spokesman further says that investigators are now working to identify individuals who have made such Twitter messages and it will have consequences.
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