Virgil van Dijk banned for extra game after reaction to red card at Newcastle
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has received an additional one-match ban for using insulting words to referee John Brooks (Owen Humphreys/PA)
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has received an additional one-match ban and a £100,000 fine after refusing to leave the pitch following his red card at Newcastle and calling referee John Brooks’ decision “a f***ing joke”.
The Netherlands international was dismissed for a foul on Alexander Isak in the first half of Liverpool’s 2-1 victory at St James’ Park on August 27 but there was a lengthy delay while VAR checked all aspects of the offence.
Because the incident was featured in Sky Sports’ Match Officials: Mic’d Up this week – where head of the Professional Game Match Officials Howard Webb dissected the discussion between Brooks and his officials – the on-field conversation was also broadcast.
While waiting for a final ruling Brooks could be heard telling Van Dijk: “I’ll tell you, but you need to go immediately if you need to go.
“It’s clearly a foul, they’re just checking the location… Don’t do anything silly.”
On confirmation of the red card Brooks said: “Free-kick. Go, go. Go now,” to which Van Dijk replied “F***ing joke”.
The Dutch centre-back served a one-match suspension last weekend in the home win over Aston Villa but after admitting a Football Association charge of acting in an improper manner and using insulting words to a match official the punishment was increased.
It means Van Dijk will now sit out the trip to Wolves on September 16.
Van Dijk used an expletive towards referee John Brooks when he sent him off at Newcastle (Owen Humphreys/PA)
A statement from the FA read: “Virgil van Dijk has been suspended for one match and fined £100,000 for breaching FA Rule
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