Tottenham Hotspur striker Richarlison could have been sent off after scoring Tottenham's goal in the 2-1 Premier League defeat to Liverpool, according to former PGMOL chief
15:55, 24 Dec 2025Updated 15:55, 24 Dec 2025
Liverpool's Hungarian midfielder #08 Dominik Szoboszlai (2L) confronts Tottenham Hotspur's Brazilian striker #09 Richarlison (C) after an incident with Liverpool's French striker #22 Hugo Ekitike during the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on December 20, 2025. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP via Getty Images) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /
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Richarlison could have been sent off against Liverpool(Image: JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP via Getty Images)
Richarlison was lucky not to be the third Tottenham Hotspur player shown the red card in Saturday's action-filled match against Liverpool, according to a former PGMOL chief.
The ex-Everton star reduced Spurs' deficit in the 83rd minute with a close-range shot. This led to a tense finale where Spurs, already down to 10 men after Xavi Simons was sent off in the first half and later seeing Cristian Romero also dismissed, bombarded the Liverpool goal.
However, Liverpool managed to cling on to their lead with goals from Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike earlier in the half securing their third consecutive victory in all competitions. But Richarlison should not have been on the pitch to spearhead the late onslaught.
Tottenham Hotspur's Brazilian striker #09 Richarlison (top) leans on top of Liverpool's French striker #22 Hugo Ekitike (floor) int he aftermath of Tottenham's first goal during the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on December 20, 2025. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP via Getty Images) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /
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Richarlison appeared to grab Hugo Ekitike's neck after scoring(Image: JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP via Getty Images)
That's the opinion of former PGMOL boss Keith Hackett, who believes the Brazilian could have followed Simons into the dressing room for his actions immediately after netting his fifth Premier League goal against Liverpool.
After scoring, the 28-year-old rushed to retrieve the ball from the net but ended up falling on top of Ekitike, who had slipped while trying to clear the ball.
Richarlison then placed his hand on the back of the Reds forward's neck before dashing out of the box, where he was confronted by Dominik Szoboszlai and Jeremie Frimpong. Szoboszlai was subsequently booked, meaning he will miss this weekend's home game against Wolves.
But Hackett reckons Richarlison could have been sent off. "There is no doubt that Richarlison is a competitive individual and certainly one that a referee needs to keep his eye on," he told Football Insider.
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 20: Xavi Simons of Tottenham Hotspur is shown a red card by referee John Brooks after a foul on Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool (not pictured) during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on December 20, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
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Xavi Simons was sent off in the first-half(Image: Alex Pantling, Getty Images)
"In this particular situation, we see Richarlison with his hand on the neck of his opponent as he is getting up off the ground. There's a little pressure.
"Could easily have been a red card but was completely missed by officials, ignored by VAR and as a result, nothing happens. It could have been a red card mister Richarlison. Behave yourself."
Simons received his marching orders on 33 minutes for a challenge on Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk after referee John Brooks was asked by VAR to check his pitchside monitor having initially shown a yellow card.
Romero, who had already been cautioned, saw red for a second booking during stoppage time following a scuffle on the ground with Ibrahima Konate after being fouled by Van Dijk's defensive partner.
Liverpool striker Alexander Isak underwent surgery on the injury earlier this week
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Liverpool striker Alexander Isak underwent surgery on the injury earlier this week(Image: Marc Atkins, Getty Images)
Reds boss Arne Slot also believed Romero's centre-back colleague Micky van de Ven should have seen red for his tackle on Isak when netting the opener. The incident resulted in the £125m forward suffering a broken leg that will sideline him for a minimum of two months.
Slot said: "Yeah, (Isak's injury) was a reckless challenge. I've said a lot about the tackle of Xavi Simons, which for me was completely unintentional. I don't think you will ever get an injury out of a tackle like that.
"But the tackle of Van de Ven, if you make a tackle like that 10 times, 10 times there is a serious chance the player gets a serious injury."
Tottenham boss Thomas Frank argued: "I am obviously disagreeing (with Slot) in many ways. We are talking about a defender that will do everything he can to avoid the goal.
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"It is a transition, there is a ball down the side and he is doing everything he can to block the shot so he is sliding. Unfortunately Isak plants his foot so it makes it look worse than it is, but that is a natural action for a defender.
"Put it this way, if my defender does not do that, they are not true defenders! Reckless challenge? I don't think you see anything like that from Micky. He is very fair and I know the two players have sorted it out, so that's a good sign."