February 13th 2025.
This season, Virgil van Dijk has found himself at the center of numerous controversial incidents. According to former Premier League referee Peter Walton, match officials have been giving the Liverpool defender preferential treatment. Despite this, the 33-year-old has been in exceptional form, solidifying his role as the cornerstone of Liverpool's defense and helping the club in their pursuit of major trophies.
Partnered with Ibrahima Konate, Van Dijk seems to have a newfound energy as he nears the end of his current contract. However, Walton believes that the Reds' captain has been lucky to avoid being sent off on multiple occasions. While Van Dijk's physicality has proven effective against opponents such as Kai Havertz, Anthony Gordon, Dango Outtara, and Richarlison, he has managed to evade any disciplinary action.
"I think Virgil van Dijk has had some good fortune this season with certain decisions," Walton shared with sports betting site talkSPORT BET. "His stature and playing style seem to work in his favor with referees, and I think they have given him the benefit of the doubt in some situations this year."
Van Dijk himself had a confrontation with Michael Oliver, PGMOL's top referee, after the recent 2-2 draw against Everton. The match ended in a controversial manner, with Everton's James Tarkowski scoring a last-minute equalizer. The visitors had taken the lead thanks to a goal from Beto in the 11th minute, but Liverpool's Mohamed Salah helped set up an equalizer from Alexis Mac Allister before scoring one himself in the 73rd minute.
However, Tarkowski's 98th-minute strike dashed Liverpool's hopes of victory. The Everton fans erupted with joy, and even midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure celebrated in front of the away end. This led to a heated reaction from Liverpool native Curtis Jones, resulting in a post-match brawl that saw Doucoure, Jones, Liverpool boss Arne Slot, and assistant Sipke Hulshoff all being shown red cards.
"We saw how they celebrated the goal, and I understand their excitement, but Doucoure's actions at the end were deemed provocative by Curtis," Van Dijk explained to TNT Sports. "Things got heated, and unfortunately, the referee lost control of the game. Both teams had to deal with it, and in the end, we managed to secure a point and move on."
The draw against Everton felt more like a loss for Van Dijk, especially since the equalizer was conceded in extra time. "The referee played a significant role in the game, with some challenges being called as fouls while similar ones were not," he added. "We know that this game is like a cup final for Everton, and they will stop at nothing to beat us. It's a tough blow for us, but we will have to move on from this and keep pushing forward."
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
