'Ridiculous' - Gary Neville makes feelings clear as Liverpool gets VAR decision

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Xavi Simons was shown a straight red card during the first half of Tottenham's game against Liverpool on Saturday, and Gary Neville slammed the midfielder for his needless actions

Gary Neville thought that Xavi Simons made a "ridiculous" challenge on Virgil van Dijk(Image: 2025 Getty Images)

Former Manchester United star Gary Neville has slammed Tottenham midfielder Xavi Simons for his "ridiculous challenge" on Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk.

Tottenham hosted Liverpool on Saturday, and Simons was booked for a risky tackle on Van Dijk after 30 minutes. Simons caught Van Dijk on the calf, and play was halted as the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) reviewed the incident.

Referee John Brooks was then advised to check the screens and changed his decision to a straight red card after seeing multiple replays of the challenge. While the decision was highly unpopular in North London, Neville remained neutral in his commentary for Sky Sports and criticized Simons for his actions.

"That wasn't clever. He was never going to get there," Neville said. "He rakes his studs right down Van Dijk. It's a poor, poor challenge. I can see why it's being checked. It's a ridiculous challenge. "Virgil van Dijk is six foot four and 15 stone. If it is the other way around, it's a leg breaker. Thomas Frank is having a whinge about it, but none of the Tottenham players are complaining. The ones who have seen it are going, 'What are you doing?'"

Simons dragged his studs down Van Dijk's calf, and the Liverpool captain was lucky to avoid a serious injury. The damage was clear to see after the challenge, as Van Dijk's socks had been shredded by the Tottenham midfielder.

After the red card was awarded, Neville doubled down on his criticism. "Simons was never going to get there," he said. "He rakes his studs right down the back of Van Dijk's leg.

"That's not clever. "That's not a good challenge. He is absolutely nowhere near the football. Malicious, nasty, reckless? Whatever you want to call it. Stupidity."

Former Nottingham Forest midfielder Andy Reid also agreed with the decision, but attempted to give Simons some respite. Despite claiming it was a red card, Reid was convinced that Simons had no malice when making the challenge.

"That's not great, not at all from Xavi Simons," Reid told BBC Radio 5 Live. "Scrapped his studs down the back of Virgil van Dijk's Achilles. I don't think he's meant to, he's overstretched."

More to follow...