Liverpool’s Dismissals in Chaotic Game Against Tottenham Harshly Judged by Referees
Liverpool’s chaotic game against Tottenham ended with both teams reduced to nine men, but the Reds were left particularly frustrated with the referee’s decisions. Both dismissals were harsh, and Jurgen Klopp wasn’t pleased with the decisions.
Luis Diaz’s Disallowed Goal
The game was full of controversy, with Luis Diaz’s incorrectly ruled-out goal taking the headlines. The officiating team’s decisions to send off Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota were also controversial, and Liverpool were reduced to nine players when Jota was dismissed for a second yellow in the space of two minutes.
The manager reacted, saying he “will never understand” the sending-off. “The two situations; the first I think is clear not a yellow,” the boss said. “The second I didn’t see actually back but it’s not important. If the first is not a yellow then we still play with 10 men.”
Jota’s first booking was a mistake as he was penalised despite Destiny Udogie appearing to trip himself up. The second booking was undoubtedly stupid by the Portuguese but, as Klopp said, “if the first is not a yellow then we still play with 10 men.” The forward will now miss Liverpool’s trip to Brighton next Sunday.
Curtis Jones’ Red Card
In the first half, Jones was originally given a yellow card for his tackle on Yves Bissouma but, after being shown a still image of the tackle, referee Simon Hooper changed his mind and awarded a red. By the letter of the law, it probably was a red card but, for those like Klopp who have played the game, it seemed harsh.
The manager said: “Probably everybody here in the [press] room thinks it’s a clear red card, I see that different just because I played football and most of you probably didn’t.”
Curtis Jones’ Suspension
Curtis Jones is set to miss the following three fixtures through suspension:
- Brighton (away)
- Aston Villa (away)
- Manchester City (home)
The game against Tottenham was full of controversy, and Liverpool were left frustrated with the referee’s decisions. Both dismissals were harsh, and Jurgen Klopp wasn’t pleased with the decisions. The Reds will now have to make do without two of their key players for the next few fixtures, and it remains to be seen how they cope without them.