Xavi Simons was shown a red card for a late challenge on Virgil van Dijk during Tottenham’s 2-1 home defeat to Liverpool.
Xavi Simons was sent off after a foul on Virgil van Dijk, as Tottenham Hotspur went down 2-1 to Liverpool at home on Saturday evening.
Spurs were reduced to nine men but still managed to make it nervy for Liverpool in the end. Xavi Simons was shown a red card by John Brooks just after the half-hour for a late, studs-up challenge on Virgil van Dijk, and his international compatriot, before Cristian Romero was also sent off in added time for kicking Ibrahima Konate after getting into a tussle on the ground.
In the end, the Lilywhites showed spirit but lacked the numbers to compete, while ill-discipline left the fans and Thomas Frank exasperated. Xavi Simons lunged in carelessly, and his sending off after VAR intervention shifted momentum entirely. John Brooks was sent to the pitch-side monitor to check the challenge, having dished out a yellow card after first viewing of the 22-year-old’s challenge on the Liverpool skipper.
Tottenham playmaker Xavi Simons was dismissed in the 33rd minute after a contentious tackle on Virgil van Dijk.
Tottenham playmaker Xavi Simons was dismissed in the 33rd minute after a contentious tackle on Virgil van Dijk.
Ex-PGMOL referee Keith Hackett says John Brooks should not have needed VAR to send off Xavi Simons
Despite Simons protesting his innocence, referee Brooks saw enough on the pitch-side monitor to deem his mistimed challenge on Van Dijk dangerous and upgrade his yellow to a red card.
Ex-PGMOL referee Keith Hackett was happy with the Spurs playmaker’s dismissal, but admitted that it was a simple decision without the need for VAR.
“What surprised me is that John Brooks initially gave a yellow card. It was a good use of VAR because, when you look at the replays, there’s no doubt that it was a straight red,” Keith Hackett exclusively told on The Final Whistle (h/t Football Insider).
“I think his manager [Thomas Frank] might be having some words with him on Monday, just to stop this aspect of this game. It was an unnecessary challenge.
“I worry because of what we’ve seen in recent weeks, with players coming in at speed and the landing target on the lower ankle or top of the foot. I don’t think there should be any hesitation.
“There are times when there are no sanctions, and what will happen is that players will end up on the bench injured. It’s good that the referee eventually got a red card – it was fully deserved.”
Xavi Simons is set to miss games against Crystal Palace, Brentford and Sunderland for serious foul play against Van Dijk in Tottenham's 2-1 defeat to Liverpool
Xavi Simons is set to miss games against Crystal Palace, Brentford and Sunderland for serious foul play against Van Dijk in Tottenham’s 2-1 defeat to Liverpool
How many games will Simons miss?
Tottenham boss Thomas Frank was incensed by the verdict in his post-match interview, declaring the “game is gone”, whilst Arne Slot felt Simons hadn’t deliberately tried to harm Van Dijk.
There was only going to be one outcome for Simons after his mistimed, yet poor studs-up challenge on the back of Van Dijk’s calf muscle. Deliberate or not, the red card was the right decision from Brooks in the end.
The Netherlands international will now be suspended for three Premier League games since his red card was for “serious foul play”. This means he will miss Tottenham’s games against Crystal Palace, Brentford and Sunderland, and when the likes of James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are already out, Simons’ unavailability comes at a worst possible juncture for Frank.