"A fu**ing joke" - TV cameras pick up Virgil van Dijk's x-rated rant after Liverpool sending off

Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk was caught on camera mouthing an audible obscenity after receiving a controversial red card on Sunday (August 27).

The incident happened in the 28th minute of the Reds' Premier League clash with Newcastle United, who had opened the scoring three minutes earlier through Anthony Gordon.

Van Dijk bore down Newcastle striker Alexander Isak, and referee John Brooks took out a straight red, deeming it to be a denial of scoring opportunity. The Dutchman remained on the field remonstrating against the on-field decision before also having a word with the fourth official. TV cameras caught him telling Brook that the decision was "a f**king joke".

The referee's decision, which was upheld by VAR, divided opinion among fans and experts. Former Premier League Keith Hackett, though, thinks that Brooks got the decision spot-on even if Van Dijk didn't. He wrote in his column for The Independent:

"The Dutch defender denied an obvious goalscoring chance and Brooks did not hesitate to show a straight red, in line with the law, despite Van Dijk being in shock and arguing his case."

Coming back to the game, 10-man Liverpool showed resilience on away turf. Despite their captain's send-off, aubsitute Darwin Nunez's late brace helped the Reds leave St. James' Park with all three points.

What does Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp think about Virgil van Dijk's red card?

Reds boss Jurgen Klopp was undoubtedly pleased with the effort of his team, fighting back from a goal and a man down to take home all three points on hostile territory.

In his press conference, Klopp was expectedly asked about the Van Dijk dismissal. The German replied that he didn't deem the incident to be a straight red, as there was 'minimal' contact:

"I don’t think it is a red card. It’s pretty much no contact, very little, and it’s on the way to the ball, but what can I say? The decision is like this. I cannot change it and I don’t want it. It’s just, would I give this in a training game? Definitely not. There are reasons why I am not a ref, and they are."

Liverpool are fourth in the standings after three games, winning two. They next take on Aston Villa at home on Sunday (September 3), where they will look to continue their unbeaten start to the season.

About the author

Bhargav is a veteran sports journalist and editor at Sportskeeda, with a rich professional experience of 17 years, working for the likes of Siemens and Bombay Dyeing. An avid football and tennis follower for over three decades, Bhargav uses his vast knowledge and experience, attention to detail, an unbiased yet interesting writing style, and thorough research to craft insightful articles, which have raked in over 20 million reads so far.

Bhargav supports Italy at national level, a team steeped in tradition and history according to him. He still harbors the heartbreak from the Azzurri’s 1994 FIFA World Cup final defeat against Brazil, and protagonist-turned-antagonist from the game, ‘Divine Ponytail’ Roberto Baggio is his all-time favorite player. His favorite manager is Marcelo Lippi, who ended Italy’s 24-year wait for the World Cup trophy, winning it in 2006.

Outside Europe’s top five leagues, he follows the MLS following Lionel Messi’s move in 2023 but favors Cristiano Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T. debate. During his free time, Bhargav enjoys driving off to new places and singing.

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Edited by Diptanil