“Controversy Strikes! Virgil van Dijk Escapes Red Card in Dramatic Clash with Newcastle”
“Outrageous Escape! Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk Dodges Possible Red Card vs Newcastle”
Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk appears to have avoided punishment for a reckless tackle on Anthony Gordon during yesterday’s thrilling 3-3 draw with Newcastle United at St James’ Park.
The two sides settled for a draw in a thrilling contest, but Virgil van Dijk may count himself fortunate to have avoided a dismissal after footage surfaced of him pushing Anthony Gordon in the penalty area.
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A Newcastle fan account on X (formerly Twitter) highlighted the incident, suggesting the Magpies have a valid case for feeling denied a penalty. Meanwhile, Liverpool seemed fortunate to finish the match with a full team.
Woken up still feeling absolutely raging about this.
I can GUARANTEE you that this is a red card and a penalty if the roles were reversed. And probably a retrospective ban as well.
It’s sly, it’s cowardly and it’s downright f*cking scandalous.#NUFC #PL pic.twitter.com/qf9fYKm5SJ
— Magpie Media (@MagpieMediaX) December 5, 2024
Van Dijk was far from the ball, leaving little room to defend his decision to barge into Gordon like this. Liverpool were arguably fortunate the referee overlooked it.
While Van Dijk is undoubtedly a top-class player at his best, this was an uncharacteristic lapse in judgment from the Dutchman. Such reckless moments are not what Reds fans want to see, especially with the potential to derail their title aspirations later in the season.
“Should Virgil van Dijk Have Seen Red for His Challenge on Anthony Gordon?”
From our perspective, Newcastle fans have every reason to feel frustrated, particularly given that several key decisions seemed to go against them.
One of the most controversial moments came when the referee blew the final whistle just as Eddie Howe’s team was launching a potentially dangerous counter-attack.
The Premier League has witnessed several subpar refereeing displays this season, and unfortunately, this appears to be yet another instance where the standards fell short.
Liverpool saw their lead at the top of the table shrink to seven points after dropping points, but they might have lost this game entirely if crucial decisions hadn’t favored them.