Liverpool face fine DESPITE apology over 'monumental' VAR error in Tottenham loss

Jurgen Klopp manager of Liverpool reacting during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on September 30, 2023 in London, England.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Liverpool could be hit with a £25,000 fine following Saturday's controversial 2-1 defeat to Tottenham.

The Reds finished with nine men at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where Joel Matip's 96th-minute own goal saw Spurs clinch all three points in dramatic fashion.

That was after Jurgen Klopp's side had seen Luis Diaz's first-half goal wrongly disallowed for offside by VAR – as admitted by refereeing body PGMOL, who apologised to Liverpool for the major error.

Luis Diaz of Liverpool scores a goal, incorrectly ruled offside and disallowed during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on September 30, 2023 in London, England.

Luis Diaz's first-half strike was incorrectly ruled out for offside by VAR (Image credit: Getty Images)

Unsurprisingly, Klopp had some strong words to say about the decision, which Match of the Day pundit Alan Shearer labelled a "monumental" mistake – but Liverpool stand to be punished for another reason.

Teams who rack up six or more cards in a single game are commonly fined £25,000 by the FA; on Saturday, the Reds received four yellows and two sending-offs (Curtis Jones got a straight red after a VAR check for his first-half foul on Yves Bissouma, while substitute Diogo Jota was given his marching orders for two bookable offences in the second half.

Such punishment is not set in stone, though, and Liverpool could manage to escape any action.

Liverpool WILL win trophies this season

Nonetheless, the Reds have already received four red cards this season – at least twice as many as any other team in the Premier League.

Prior to Jones and Jota's dismissals against Spurs, Virgil van Dijk and Alexis Mac Allister were sent off in victories over Newcastle and Bournemouth respectively – although Mac Allister's red was subsequently rescinded.

Klopp insists that his side are not a dirty outfit, though. He told reporters: "It’s important to me that people don’t start thinking we have so many red cards [that] we are a kicking team. We don’t [go kicking players]."

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Tom Hancock

Tom Hancock started freelancing for FourFourTwo in April 2019 and has also written for the Premier League and Opta Analyst, among others. He supports Wycombe Wanderers and has a soft spot for Wealdstone. A self-confessed statto, he has been known to watch football with a spreadsheet (or several) open...