Jordan Pickford to face no action over Virgil van Dijk challenge
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Updated 19/10/2020 at 12:57 GMT
Jordan Pickford will face no action for his challenge on Virgil van Dijk during the Merseyside derby between Liverpool and Everton. It was announced on Sunday that the Dutch defender suffered damage to his anterior cruciate ligament and would undergo surgery.
Jordan Pickford of Everton takes out Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool
Image credit: Getty Images
The FA will not take retrospective action against Jordan Pickford regarding his challenge on Virgil van Dijk during Saturday’s Merseyside derby.
The Dutch defender was on the receiving end of a crude challenge from Everton’s goalkeeper early on in the 2-2 draw on Saturday. However, Everton were spared the consequences of such a challenge – potentially a red card for the keeper and a penalty – as the Liverpool defender was adjudged to be marginally offside by the VAR officials at Stockley Park.
It was announced on Monday that no further action would be taken against Pickford, with retrospective action only permissible when Incidents have been missed by the referee or VAR.
Liverpool perceived that a number of decisions went against them during the 235th meeting of the two sides – including a disallowed, late Jordan Henderson goal – and had written to the Premier League asking them to investigate the application of VAR during the match.
It was announced late on Sunday that Van Dijk had suffered an ACL injury in the challenge and would undergo surgery. His defensive partner in the match, Joel Matip, is a doubt for the club’s upcoming Champions League trip to Ajax, with the centre-half having been sent for a scan after complaining of muscular discomfort following the clash.
Parker: Everton would have accepted three-game ban
Paurl Parker told Eurosport: "They should have just given him a three-game ban, violent conduct. At least that. Some Liverpool fans want him put in the Tower of London, but still they should have done something. If they'd have given him three games, or at least brought him in and talked to him, then no one is really going to complain. Everton would not have complained, and that might have done them a favour by the way.
That's totally wrong, so if anything like that happens again the FA can't do anything, because people will go back and use that as an example. Not like people will start jumping at others with two feet, but we know if that's going to happen to any outfield player on the pitch then it would have been a different scenario. The player would have been sent off, but being an offside VAR somehow did not look at that incident.
"They've got to say something about it. Although they've made their mind up about this situation, if they can move the goalposts now then do it before anything like this happens again. Common sense must apply, although for Van Dijk and Liverpool it's kind of like having a burglar alarm after you've been robbed."
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