Xavi Simons told to ‘do one’ after ‘premeditated’ foul on Virgil van Dijk
Xavi Simons was sent off for Tottenham after a foul on Virgil van Dijk that he “actually meant to do”, according to Perry Groves.
Liverpool beat Tottenham 2-1 in North London on Saturday in a chaotic game where the hosts finished with nine men.
Simons was shown red by John Brooks just after the half-hour for a late, studs-up challenge on the Liverpool centre-back, and his international captain for the Netherlands, before Cristian Romero was also sent off in added time.
Despite Simons protesting his innocence via social media after the game ex-Arsenal attacker Groves has dismissed his apparent upset as “crocodile tears” and says the mechanics of the challenge mean it can only have been deliberate.
Perry Groves slams Xavi Simons’ for Virgil van Dijk foul
Speaking live on talkSPORT “You look at the Simons challenge on Virgil van Dijk. That’s premeditated, he actually meant to do that.
“People say ‘he’s not that sort of player’. I don’t buy into that. You know what you’re doing.”
In response to host Sam Matterface citing Simons’ Instagram post saying it was an accident Groves added: “He’s gonna say that, that’s my point, it’s his national team captain so he’s gonna say ‘I’m so sorry’.”
Alex Crook argued Simons was virtually in tears over it but Groves was unmoved: “Don’t do it. Did you see where the ball was? When Virgil van Dijk had the ball, it was on his right foot and he’s playing it. [Simons] actually treads on his standing foot which is a yard away from where the ball is.
“And he puts his studs up and rakes him down the back of his calf muscle, and he looks away to pretend he’s not doing it. He does that and it’s premeditated and done on purpose. Crocodile tears. Do one.”
How long will Xavi Simons miss?
Deliberate or not the red card is just about the worst thing outside of a serious injury that Simons could have got from the Liverpool defeat given how it stalls any progress badly.
His big-money move from RB Leipzig heralded Tottenham finally coming out on the right side of a high-profile hijack after Chelsea were beaten to the deal.
And with the likes of James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski out injured long-term it should have helped cover in attack.
| Games | Goals | Assists | |
| Premier League | 14 | 1 | 2 |
| Champions League | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| Carabao Cup | 2 | 0 | 0 |
But with Thomas Frank struggling increasingly to get a tune out of these players or look like he has them under control the Simons difficulties are sticking out as a major problem.
The Dutchman is young and in a new league, while the chaos around him at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is hardly conducive to a seamless transition.
But just as he looked to have turned a corner after his match-winning performance as Spurs beat Brentford 2-1, he has now taken a huge step back as he will now be suspended for three Premier League games since his red card was for “serious foul play”.
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