Credit: Imago and BBC Match of the Day

Daniel Davis

Mon 16 March 2026 8:10, UK

Keith Hackett believes Virgil van Dijk was fortunate not to have been sent off after bundling over Richarlison in Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Spurs delivered an almighty boost to their Premier League survival hopes after clinching a late result at Anfield, courtesy of Richarlison’s superb 90th-minute finish.

Igor Tudor avoided defeat for the first time since replacing Thomas Frank, and in truth, the visitors were good value for it, despite conceding first to Dominik Szoboszlai’s free-kick.

Tottenham’s draw on Merseyside moved them a point clear of the drop zone, but it could have been even better for them had Van Dijk been shown a red card.

Why wasn’t Virgil van Dijk sent off?

Richarlison was a constant thorn in the side of the soon-to-be dethroned champions, with his late runs in behind and link-up play with Dominic Solanke causing all sorts of problems.

In the 54th minute, he found himself through on goal again after Guglielmo Vicario’s long ball forward, but his strike was beaten away by Alisson.

However, the frontman immediately appealed for a penalty – and he certainly had a point.

Replays showed Van Dijk had grabbed hold of his shirt during a tangle inside the box, effectively preventing him from keeping his footing as he pulled the trigger.

Former PGMOL chief Hackett has now claimed that the defender should have been handed his marching orders, while Spurs should also have been given a spot-kick.

Hackett exclusively told Tottenham News: “These two photographs highlight that a penalty kick and red card should have been the outcome here.

“Clear holding offence and the denial of an obvious goal scoring opportunity.”

Fortunately for Spurs, they got what they deserved and now have a platform to build on.

Richarlison superb in Tottenham fightback

Tottenham were relying on Richarlison in their quest for a season-defining result against Liverpool, and the ace duly stepped up with an outstanding performance.

He was able to get the better of Van Dijk on numerous occasions, as shown after he was unceremoniously impeded in the box, and his goal was a deserved reward for his efforts.

According to Sofascore, he recorded four attempts on target and missed one big chance, an impressive return despite him taking just 38 touches across his 90-minute runout.

Richarlison was often isolated at Anfield, as demonstrated by the fact that he chalked up just 10 accurate passes, but he worked brilliantly off scraps and inspired his team-mates.

In the end, his equaliser may well be the difference between relegation and survival.