Jamie Redknapp and Daniel Sturridge in full agreement over Liverpool VAR call - 'Ridiculous'
Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version from Liverpool.com or go back to LFC Live.
The statement read: "After VAR review, the referee overturned the original decision of yellow card to Simons and issued a red card for serious foul play.READ MORE: Alexander Isak injury update as Liverpool star's knee might be completely fineREAD MORE: Hugo Ekitike on Tottenham 'war' after Alexander Isak injury - 'That wasn't football'"Referee announcement: 'After review, the Tottenham No.7, with studs, catches the Liverpool player [No.4] on the calf high - it's an act of serious foul play. My final decision is red card.'"Commenting on the incident, Redknapp remarked on Sky Sports: "Normally red cards ruin games but not in this case because it's been that bad; I mean the game has been awful," reports Football London."Xavi Simons has just done something so ridiculous, I just don't know what he's thinking.
Trying to add some intensity to the game, show some aggression, but he's just got it completely wrong.Referee John Brooks shows a red card to Xavi Simons"Of course it's a little bit unlucky; he bumps into the back of him, but he catches his Achilles and it's a stupid challenge which unfortunately constitutes a red card in this day and age."Meanwhile, former Reds star Sturridge shared his view, adding: "Yeah, it's unfortunate. It does, it does look a lot worse [in slow motion], and I've been the guy, like Xavi Simons, trying to affect the game - defending is not your high skillset."You're trying to effect, trying to barge into somebody or do something and he's just got it wrong in how he's gone about it.Get LFC's 2025/26 season home and away kitsThis article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it.
He's trying to press, he's trying to show the fans, affect the game and he's got it completely wrong."Redknapp then referenced a comparable incident involving Newcastle United's Anthony Gordon, who received punishment for a similar transgression."Do you think the way Virgil is with it - trying to entice the pressure - there was a very similar one, the intensity of the one earlier in the season with Anthony Gordon when he comes crashing into the back of him," the former Liverpool midfielder added.Newcastle's Anthony Gordon was sent off for a similar incident with Virgil van Dijk earlier this season(Image: George Wood/Getty Images)"But Virgil does sometimes do that. But you can just see there was enough in the other one for Xavi for it to just be a red card."I really don't like to see players - I don't think it's malicious, it's his fellow countryman, I don't think he wants to hurt him - it's just a complete accident, I just feel it brings the red into the game."