If you are still seething, you are not alone. The officiating was diabolical at Tottenham, and while the red cards and offside goal hit the headlines, fans spotted more wrong decisions.
Darwin Nunez has already made his rallying cry, that “we are together and against everyone,” and that is a sentiment that is easy to get behind after Saturday night’s events.
We have already seen the PGMOL issue a statement admitting to “significant human error,” the VAR operators removed from duty and reports of referee chief Howard Webb issuing Liverpool an apology.
Referee Simon Hooper, who was stood down after an opening day farce at Man United, made one bewildering decisions after another – Diogo Jota‘s first yellow card, anyone?
It was dismal and not up to the standards one expects in a high-profile match, but the headline hitters were not the only decisions that ought to be questioned, as fans have pointed out.
Where is the yellow for asking for a booking?
Alexis MacAllister does a card gesture against Chelsea after being fouled and gets a yellow card. We were told that the rules have changed this season regarding card gestures by players.
Today Destiny Udogie does the same gesture while being on a yellow card. Jota gets booked pic.twitter.com/uWlVLgSPTP— Pryzbylewski (@SportrmpMusty) September 30, 2023
Gesturing for a card against another player was supposed to result in a yellow for the offender, as Liverpool saw for Alexis Mac Allister at Chelsea.
For Destiny Udogie, a blind eye was turned – of course. He offered up a card gesture for Jota, who got booked for the Spurs man tripping over himself.
Richarlison also showed a gesture, only in the face, Cooper just doesn't give a shit pic.twitter.com/BIcOwbokoS
— wakeupdude (@emptywakeup) September 30, 2023
We know what happened to Liverpool’s No. 20 moments later but Udogie was already on a yellow card when he did this – should he not have been shown a second and sent off?
Not for Hooper, clearly. And Richarlison received the same leniency. Consistency, eh?
No penalty for Gomez?
van Dijk got sent off for this a few weeks ago ? pic.twitter.com/k8CpdJicJZ
— MB (@MrBoywunder) September 30, 2023
Joe Gomez is charging into the box, settling himself as he approaches the ball and makes contact as Micky van de Ven comes through him.
Sounds a little similar, and we don’t have to look back far with Virgil van Dijk on Alexander Isak at Newcastle almost a carbon copy of what we see here.
Van Dijk was immediately shown a red card then, but it was as you were for the Reds here.
You would have expected at least a VAR review, but that was obviously optimistic with what we later learned!
How was that a foul from Mo?
Just remembered Salah getting a foul given against him for this and a yellow ? pure corruption pic.twitter.com/wFX8MuIYem
— MB (@MrBoywunder) September 30, 2023
Mohamed Salah can get dragged to the floor by his neck week in and week out and hardly see a peep out of the official.
But when his opponent gets himself tied in a knot and the winger swoops in, the linesman waves his flag and Hooper issues a free-kick in Tottenham‘s favour.
A foul was given for this. Salah was then booked. pic.twitter.com/aXQHz11exk
— CF Comps (@CF_Compss) September 30, 2023
The No. 11 was free in the box and his obvious frustration at the call earned him a yellow card.
Robertson’s booked but Porro targets the man
Robertson got booked for going for the ball while Porro was only looking at Robertson. pic.twitter.com/f8049DyWed
— Samuel (@SamueILFC) September 30, 2023
Late in the second half, Robertson challenged an aerial ball with Pedro Porro on the wing – Liverpool’s left-back only had eyes for the ball.
His elbow was high but nothing unusual for a jumping action. Porro made the most of it, and Hooper fell for it hook, line and sinker. A yellow was brandished for Robertson.
Porro, meanwhile, was clearly only ever looking at Robertson during the challenge, and showed an intent to only interfere with the man and not the ball.
Far too hard to spot for the referee, clearly.
We could probably go through the match with a fine tooth comb and spot more, but what this goes to show is the need for reform and change – officials cannot be deciding matches with such frequency.
Fan Comments