Lineker proved spot on with Klopp claim after Tottenham vs Liverpool VAR drama

01 October 2023 , 08:33

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Lineker proved spot on with Klopp claim after Tottenham vs Liverpool VAR drama

Gary Lineker correctly predicted that Jurgen Klopp would go on another of his post-match rants following Liverpool's controversial defeat to Tottenham.

Liverpool had two men sent off and Luis Diaz's goal incorrectly ruled out for offside in a last-gasp 2-1 loss at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Long before Joel Matip scored a 96th-minute own goal to gift Spurs all three points, Reds winger Diaz looked to have opened the scoring before the offside flag was raised.

However, VAR official Darren England wrongly assumed that the on-field decision was to award the goal, therefore not conducting a proper check and using the offside lines to show referee Simon Hooper that Diaz was indeed onside. That was after Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones had been sent off for a studs-up challenge on Yves Bissouma, as VAR upgraded his yellow card to a red.

With the score 1-1 midway through the second half, Diogo Jota was shown two yellows in the space of two minutes. Klopp's fury was palpable on the touchline, prompting Lineker to write on social media: "2 red cards and what appears to be a VAR mess up with the Diaz offside. Think Klopp might have a rant."

The former Tottenham striker then doubled down on his prediction after Matip's own goal which ended Liverpool's unbeaten start to the season. "Unbelievable," a stunned Lineker added. "Think it's safe to say it's not been Liverpool's day. Klopp might well explode."

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Jurgen Klopp was furious with the decisions against his side at Tottenham (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Although Klopp didn't explode, he did go on a rant post-match while the PGMOL issued a statement acknowledging "significant human error." "I never saw a game like this with the most unfair circumstances, crazy decisions," the Reds boss claimed.

"The first red card, Curtis steps on the ball and goes over. Not a bad tackle. It looks different in slow motion. He steps full throttle on the ball and goes over the ball. That is unlucky. For Jota, first yellow was not a yellow. Then he gets a second and to defend with eight outfield players is tricky."

Klopp said on Diaz's disallowed effort: "That is not offside when you see it, they drew their lines wrong. The ball is between Mo [Salah's] legs, they drew the line wrong and didn't judge the moment when Mo passed the ball right. It is so tough to deal with it."

Nathan Ridley