![\"Liverpool](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Virgil-van-Dijk-Richarlison-1-1140x641.jpg\")
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Credit: Imago \/ Sky Sports<\/p>\n
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Mon 16 March 2026 17:00, UK <\/p>\n
Liverpool<\/a> were fortunate not to go down to 10 men after Virgil van Dijk and Richarlison clashed during a 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur.<\/p>\n That is according to former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee, Keith Hackett, who exclusively told Football Insider that the Reds\u2019 No.4 should have been sent off for a Denial of a Goalscoring Opportunity (DOGSO).<\/p>\n Arne Slot\u2019s side had taken the lead through a sumptuous Dominik Szoboszlai free-kick, helped by goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, but found themselves pegged back in the 90th minute.<\/p>\n Liverpool have eight games remaining in the Premier League, and with Slot already under growing pressure, a red card for Van Dijk would have done very little to settle the nerves on Sunday, 15 March.<\/p>\n \u26bd Liverpool Matchday \u26bd<\/p>\n Team news, line-ups, expert previews, VAR verdicts, and tactical analysis for every Reds fixture.<\/p>\n VISIT THE LIVERPOOL MATCH HUB<\/a> <\/p>\n MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES<\/p>\n Virgil van Dijk \u2018gets away\u2019 with DOGSO on Richarlison<\/p>\n In the 55th minute, Richarlison appeared set to escape and slot a shot past Alisson, only to be dragged to the floor and put off balance while taking his shot from inside the penalty area.<\/p>\n Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former referee said: \u201cI can remember doing a piece in The Telegraph about Virgil van Dijk and seven of his clear, nailed-on offences that went unpunished.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cNobody disagreed that they were offences, and he got away with all of them.\u00a0He\u2019s\u00a0gotten away with one here.\u00a0Is he holding the player? Yes. Has he\u00a0impacted\u00a0the player? Yes. <\/p>\n \u201cTherefore,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0a penalty. I think\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0denied an obvious goalscoring opportunity.\u00a0Why has everyone ignored it? The video clips are clear. What is VAR doing?<\/p>\n \u201cThe referee\u00a0hasn\u2019t\u00a0got the viewing angle that VAR have got.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0very clearly a holding offence, one which has gone unpunished.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Premier League fans all say the same about Liverpool star<\/p>\n Premier League fans up and down the country have come to the consensus that Van Dijk is \u201cfinished\u201d at the top level, struggling to deal with Richarlison at 34 years of age.<\/p>\n A couple of Liverpool fans have also agreed with the backlash, suggesting the same for Mohamed Salah, who only recently signed a two-year extension at Anfield.<\/p>\n Van dijk has been abysmal this season, 34 year old, hes finished along with salah at the top level<\/p>\n \u2014 Yorkshire Red (@dave100percent) March 15, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n View Tweet<\/p>\n Van Dijk and Salah are absolutely finished at the top<\/p>\n \u2014 Jay (@JFelms) March 15, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n View Tweet<\/p>\n If Richarlison scored on Van Dijk after shielding him off it would\u2019ve finished Virgil\u2019s career #livvstot<\/a><\/p>\n