Virgil van Dijk has blamed referee Michael Oliver for one thing following the Reds’ 2-2 draw with Everton in the Merseyside derby on Wednesday night.
The Liverpool captain spoke to the match official after the game and revealed he told the referee about what he blamed him for during the game.
Liverpool looked on course to clinch a 2-1 victory in the last Merseyside derby at Goodison Park. However, James Tarkowski delivered a stunning volley in stoppage time, earning Everton a last-minute equalizer and a share of the spoils.
The men from the blue half of Merseyside took the lead with an early goal from Beto. But Liverpool quickly responded through goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah, giving them the advantage.
However, Tarkowski’s dramatic late strike ensured the points were shared between the two sides.
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What Virgil van Dijk said to Michael Oliver after the dramatic derby draw
In a conversation with TNT Sports after the match, Virgil van Dijk expressed his dissatisfaction with the referee’s control of the game. He also shared his thoughts on the dramatic post-match altercation.
The defender had this to say on James Tarkowski’s equalizer on the night:
“I think the goal was in over extra time.”
He blamed Michael Oliver for the goal coming in after the allotted period of 5 minutes of stoppage time had been exceeded.
Following the match, a chaotic post-game altercation broke out, leading to the dismissal of four individuals – Curtis Jones, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Liverpool boss Arne Slot, and assistant coach Sipke Hulshoff.
Apparently, Jones was not pleased with Doucoure’s celebrations in front of the Liverpool fans, which sparked the confrontation. The incident led to a scuffle, and Van Dijk stated:
“You know what happens when there’s a bit of a tussle or whatever you want to call it.”
Reflecting on the referee’s performance, the Reds’ captain felt that the match had been poorly officiated.
“I told him that I didn’t think he had control of the game,” he said. “It did affect the game, and both teams had to deal with it. But it is what it is, we take the point and move on.”
He also noted the referee’s influence throughout the match:
“I think the referee played a big part today, particularly in terms of certain challenges being given as fouls when similar ones were not.”
Tarkowski’s last-minute goal was reviewed by VAR for a potential offside and foul before it was finally allowed to stand. But the Dutch defender was still upset with the nature of the goal.
“It’s not easy to accept, especially in that manner,” the Dutch defender added.
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