It is now beyond the realm of possibility for Liverpool to seek full retribution over the past events, and even if there was a desire for vengeance from the Reds, Tottenham cannot be blamed. As Jürgen Klopp’s team prepares to face Spurs once more, it wouldn’t be surprising to hear the term VAR being mentioned repeatedly.
Liverpool supporters will vividly recall that in the previous encounter, Luis Díaz should have found the net. He indeed scored a completely valid goal, which even VAR official Darren England confirmed. However, due to a mix-up in communication and with the match being restarted, the officials were powerless to rectify their mistake.
On that day, both Diogo Jota and Curtis Jones received red cards—decisions that many Reds would argue were overly harsh. To make matters worse, Joël Matip’s late own goal handed Tottenham the victory in a heartbreaking conclusion after a resilient defensive display from nine-man Liverpool.
Jota was cautioned twice for seemingly minor infractions, while Jones’ tackle, though aggressive, was deemed to endanger his opponent. While this judgment could be considered fair, similar challenges in previous matches went unpunished.
“I don’t want to dwell on the past, but I can’t forget the Tottenham game either,” Klopp commented during his pre-match press conference. “It was such a bizarre game. We are facing Tottenham now, and the adversities we faced in the previous encounter are one of the many reasons why I desire a victory.”
This composed evaluation starkly contrasts with Klopp’s emotional response at the time. Social media was abuzz with critiques of the officiating, with Gary Lineker predicting a potential outburst from Klopp. The Liverpool manager indeed expressed his disbelief post-match, labeling the circumstances as highly unjust with peculiar decisions.
The PGMOL later issued a statement acknowledging their mistake, but the damage had been done in terms of the match result. Those points could have significantly impacted the race for the Premier League title.
“Regarding the red cards, Curtis’ incident was a result of inadvertently stepping on the ball, not a harmful tackle,” Klopp further elaborated. “It may seem different in slow motion, but the intent wasn’t malicious. Jota’s first booking was unwarranted, and the subsequent repercussions led to a challenging scenario defending with eight outfield players.”
Regarding the Díaz mix-up, considered an unprecedented error by VAR, he mentioned, “It is not offside upon closer inspection; the lines drawn were inaccurate. The ball was between Mo Salah’s legs, and they misjudged the moment when he passed. It’s challenging to cope with.” Liverpool.com notes that Lineker’s observation about Klopp’s discontent was accurate, and Klopp was justified in feeling aggrieved. If there had been stakes involved this weekend, it could have served as motivation. Currently, it’s Spurs who are in need of points as they pursue Aston Villa in the race for a top-four finish.