Gary Lineker launches 'rant' on Tottenham vs Liverpool red card - 'I just can't stand'

Tottenham midfielder Xavi Simons was sent off in Liverpool's 2-1 Premier League win on Saturday after a challenge on Virgil van Dijk, but Gary Lineker does not think it was a red card offense

Gary Lineker believes Xavi Simons shouldn't have been sent off against Liverpool(Image: The Rest Is Football)

Gary Lineker believes Tottenham star Xavi Simons shouldn't have received a red card during Liverpool's 2-1 victory over Spurs on Saturday. The Netherlands international was dismissed in the 33rd minute following a late tackle on Virgil van Dijk.

Van Dijk had played the ball back to Alisson Becker when Simons appeared to make contact with the Liverpool skipper late on the back of his Achilles. Referee John Brooks initially brandished a yellow card to the Spurs player, but was subsequently advised by VAR to review the incident on his pitch-side monitor.

Brooks chose to upgrade the caution to red, dismissing Simons and leaving Tottenham with 10 men. Spurs boss Thomas Frank was incensed by the decision in his post-match press conference, declaring the "game is gone", whilst Arne Slot felt Simons hadn't made a deliberate attempt to harm Van Dijk.

Now, former Everton and Tottenham striker Lineker has offered his perspective on the red card, reports the Liverpool Echo.

"I'm going to have a little bit of a rant myself here," he said on The Rest Is Football.

"I know in slow motion you can pick it apart, his [Xavi Simons] studs may have caught the back of his [Virgil van Dijk] calf, but the fella is just trying to put his foot on the ground.

Xavi Simons of Tottenham Hotspur is shown a red card by referee John Brooks(Image: Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

"I mean there's absolutely zero intent. I mean yes, Virg might have got hurt, that happens in football, it happens all the time, doesn't mean to say it's a vicious foul. I just can't stand red cards for things like that, it was nothing. It's another one of those that looks in slow motion, you go 'ooh, blimey, he's raked down the back of his calf'.

"In normal speed it wasn't that, it's not like that at all. It's not like that at all. And I know they all thought it was a red card and you two may think it's a red card, and I understand now that when they look at things, they might go and break it down so slowly, but when you see it in normal speed, it's just his foot landing, he flicks him.

"It's nothing, it's absolutely nothing."

Alan Shearer added: "It's totally accidental, totally accidental, yeah."

Lineker continued: "Yellow card would've sufficed."

Simons, meanwhile, apologized after the game. He said on social media: "Mistakes happen. Virg is my captain, I would never intentionally hurt him or anyone.

"To my Spurs teammates, my manager and the fans, I take responsibility. I'm really sorry."

Van Dijk then chipped in with his verdict and said: "I don't think there was any intention to hurt me but obviously he hurt me and then the referee and the VAR made the decision to send him off.

"I spoke to him. It's a chat that no-one needs to know."