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Virgil van Dijk admitted that he would not "understand football" if Anthony Gordon had escaped a red card for his reckless challenge during Liverpool's 3-2 win over Newcastle United.
The play took place during stoppage time in the first half, with Liverpool leading 1-0 thanks to Ryan Gravenberch's goal. Gordon made a sliding challenge that caught Van Dijk high on his right leg, leaving visible stud marks.
Referee Simon Hooper initially issued a yellow card, but after VAR advised him to review the monitor, he upgraded it to a red card. Newcastle were left with 10 players before halftime, igniting anger among the packed crowd at St James’ Park.
When asked post-match what words were exchanged with Gordon after the tackle, Van Dijk was straight and to the point about the deserved sending off. "I said to him, if that's not a sending off, I don't understand football," the Liverpool captain explained.
"It was strange he [the referee] had to go to the monitor. Unfortunately, these things happen. Whether he meant it or not, it happened, that's it. We move on."
The dismissal divided supporters and online fans. Some pointed to the contact and danger of the tackle as clear justification, while others quickly resurrected the "LiVARpool" joke online, accusing the Reds of benefitting once again from close calls.
Attention also shifted to a later moment in the second half when Gravenberch appeared to catch Bruno Guimaraes with a heavy challenge that did not even draw a whistle, sparking accusations of inconsistency.
Gordon's red card was the third of his young career and his second in less than a year. He has now gone 14 matches without a goal or assist, a huge downfall for a player once heralded as Newcastle's most dangerous attacking outlet, and a possible transfer option for the Reds last summer.
Last season, Gordon was kicked out of the FA Cup for pushing Brighton's Jan Paul van Hecke in the head. His three-match ban ruled him out of the Carabao Cup final.
After picking up two yellow cards, he also saw red against West Ham United in March.
The first was for a foul on now-Tottenham star Mohammed Kudus, and the second was in stoppage time for kicking the ball away in frustration just moments after Harvey Barnes scored the winning goal.
Gordon was announced as Player of the Match almost simultaneously when the referee pulled the red card from his pocket.
Van Dijk shook off the foul and helped lead Liverpool through the second half. Newcastle equalized late through Guimaraes and substitute Will Osula.
But just when it looked like Eddie Howe's side had rescued a famous point, the Magpies felt the wrath of sixteen-year-old debutant Rio Ngumoha.
Ngumoha came off the bench in stoppage time and produced a fearless finish, blasting the ball into the net in front of a stunned Gallowgate End to make it 3-2. The teenager became Liverpool's youngest-ever scorer and one of the youngest in Premier League history, securing three points that will be remembered as his breakthrough moment.
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