Joel Matip’s own goal deep into extra time gave Tottenham Hotspur a win over nine-man Liverpool in an eventful and controversial Premier League encounter.
Red Card Controversy
In a highly contentious match between Liverpool and Spurs, the Reds found themselves grappling with two controversial red cards.
The first was shown to Curtis Jones, who was deemed to have fouled Yves Bissouma, after a VAR intervention, a mere 26 minutes into the game. The drama continued when Diogo Jota, a half-time substitute for Liverpool, received two quickfire bookings and was sent off with over 20 minutes still to play.
VAR Controversy
Adding to Liverpool’s sense of injustice, a goal by Luis Diaz that would have given them the lead was ruled out due to yet another controversial VAR decision. In this case, the Colombian forward was swiftly judged offside without the customary offside line graphics.
The PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) subsequently issued a statement acknowledging a “significant human error” and referred to the decision to disallow Diaz’s goal as a “clear and obvious factual error.” They stated that VAR should have intervened but failed to do so, promising a “full review” to determine the reasons behind this failure.
Turning Point
Amidst the controversy, Tottenham Hotspur managed to capitalize on the situation. Captain Son Heung-min slid Spurs into the lead, taking advantage of Richarlison’s pass, just nine minutes before half-time. The goal came after some impressive work from summer signing James Maddison.
This match will certainly be remembered not only for its on-field drama but also for the contentious decisions that raised questions about the application of VAR in football.
