Liverpool handed fresh Xavi Simons red card verdicts after 'ridiculous' Virgil van Dijk challenge

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Sky Sports pundits Jamie Redknapp and Daniel Sturridge have analysed Xavi Simons' red card for serious foul play against Virgil van Dijk during Tottenham's Premier League match against Liverpool on SaturdayTottenham have been given two fresh perspectives on Xavi Simons' red card from their Premier League clash against Liverpool on Saturday evening. It stated: "#TOTLIV – 30' VAR OVERTURN After VAR review, the referee overturned the original decision of yellow card to Simons and issued a red card for serious foul play."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.

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."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."I don't think he's a malicious type of player who would intentionally want to try and injure his national teammate.

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 similar incident involving Newcastle United's Anthony Gordon, who received punishment for a comparable offence."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."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."