Jurgen Klopp and Ryan Mason during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield
What goes around comes around. At the end of the season things even themselves out. And other cliches like that to say the same thing.
There are swings and roundabouts when it comes to big decisions in football. Sometimes it feels like the world is against you and everything is going wrong. Then, another week you may get the rub of the green and get a big decision in your favour.
With the advent of the Video Assistant Referee, many football fans thought controversial decisions would be a thing of the past. However, if anything, we have more debates about referees and VAR calls than we did before technology came into our favourite sport.
Saturday’s big clash between Spurs and Liverpool at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium heightened that viewpoint, with a number of big decisions debated. The first, for me, is not up for debate. Curtis Jones’ red card for a high tackle on Yves Bissouma was rightly a red card.
The second is clearly the most contentious one. Contentious being the wrong word really, it was an incorrect call by the VAR. Luis Diaz had a goal ruled out for offside on the field of play. The VAR, thinking the call on-field was onside, said ‘Check Complete’ very quickly, as he could see it was onside and the game played on. The mistake was made, the game went on and it could then not be called back – a ridiculous rule in itself.
Then there was the second red card – for Diogo Jota. He was very, very harshly booked for his knee brushing Destiny Udogie’s foot, causing that foot to knock into his other foot and send him tumbling to the ground. That was deemed yellow card worthy. Then, somewhat stupidly, Jota decided to slide in and foul the same man minutes later, ending with a second yellow and a red.
Liverpool have released a statement saying they “will explore the range of options available, given the clear need for escalation and resolution”. Whatever that means.
Manager Jurgen Klopp should perhaps take a leaf out of his own book and “worry about other stuff”. Like his club’s disciplinary record, perhaps, given those two reds make it four sending’s off already this season.
Last year, Klopp told then Spurs caretaker boss Ryan Mason to “worry about other stuff” after Mason had complained that man Jota should have seen red for kicking Oliver Skipp in the face in a high tackle that required the Englishman to have stitches. VAR did not intervene that day and Jota would go on to score the winning goal in a 4-3 triumph.
What goes around, comes around, it seemed.
