Van Dijk: ‘Referee lost control of Liverpool-Everton match’

Centre-back Virgil van Dijk criticised referee Michael Oliver, and accused Everton players of and inciting a after the 2-2 draw in the Premier League round 15.

“Everyone saw the way Everton celebrated, and they had the right to do so,” Van Dijk told TNT Sports after the match at Goodison Park on the evening of February 12. “I think at the end of the game, Abdoulaye Doucoure wanted to the Liverpool fans, and Curtis Jones didn’t think it was the right thing to do.”

True to the nature of the Merseyside derby, this match was tense. Beto opened the scoring for Everton in the 11th minute, then Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah scored to help Liverpool lead 2-1. The was pushed up in the eighth minute of injury time, when James Tarkowski volleyed into the roof of Alisson’s net to tie the score at 2-2, despite only having five minutes of injury time.

After referee Michael Oliver blew the final whistle, Everton midfielder Doucoure ran into the stands filled with Liverpool fans to celebrate and. Curtis Jones rushed to the Everton midfielder, sparking a. The police also had to intervene, and the referee then gave both Doucoure and Jones red cards.

“It was a very obvious from a player,” Van Dijk continued. “We saw it and reacted as a team. And everyone knows what happens when there is a dispute. I’m not the one who deals with this situation, it’s the referee. But today, I’m not sure he controlled the game.”

Referee Oliver also showed red cards to coach Arne Slot and assistant Sipke Hulshoff for their overreactions. The two Liverpool players were said to be upset when the referee did not the whistle for Beto pushing Konate in the back when Everton equalized 2-2, then immediately blew the whistle when Liverpool kicked off afterwards.

Slot was not allowed to speak to the press after the match due to the red card. Normally, in this case, the club would send an assistant coach to handle the media duties, but Hulshoff also received a red card. Another of Slot’s assistants, former Dutch defender Johnny Heitinga, will lead Liverpool against Wolves in the 25th round of the Premier League on February 16.