Roy Hodgson criticises Virgil van Dijk for role in Jordan Ayew red card

Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson was critical of Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk’s role in the red card shown to Jordan Ayew in Saturday’s Premier League clash.

Ayew was shown two yellow cards in the space of 15 minutes in the second half and his dismissal coincided with Palace losing their one-goal lead to fall to a 2-1 defeat.

The Ghanaian forward’s first yellow card was for not being the requisite distance of 10 yards from Van Dijk as he attempted to take a quick free-kick for Liverpool, with the Dutchman’s effort cannoning off Ayew and seeing him booked by referee Andy Madley.

Ayew was shown a second yellow card 15 minutes later after taking down Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott on the halfway line, with Palace conceding a minute later and going on to lose the game.

“This is another hard one to take for us, I am gutted for the players and how the game panned out,” Palace boss Hodgson said after the match.

“The red card was unbelievably harsh, the fouls committed by both teams was more or less the same and I do not think we deserved nine yellow cards, even if I probably deserved mine.

“It is saddening for me to see how hard the boys worked and come away with nothing.

“Van Dijk took the opportunity to get him booked by kicking the ball at him from a few yards away. That’s very disappointing. Liverpool do not need players of that quality and status trying to get an opposition player a yellow card.

“The second one was a good challenge, and if you deem that a challenge, which it could be, then it was not a yellow card offence.

“We are talking too much about the referees and days like today show that when I do leave this game behind, I won’t be missing it.”

Elliott netted a late winner as the match ticked into stoppage time to cap a dramatic comeback victory for Liverpool, who had struggled to create any clear goal scoring opportunities until the final quarter of the game.

Jean-Philippe Mateta had given Palace the lead from the penalty spot in the 57th minute following a VAR intervention, which had seen the game continue for a significant period of time after on-field referee Madley had not given the spot kick.

Mateta had gone to ground after a challenge by Liverpool defenders Van Dijk and Jarell Quansah, but play continued for minutes before Madley was called to the pitchside monitor, and opted to overturn his decision.

In the first half, Palace had seen a penalty overturned; Odsonne Edouard was felled by Van Dijk in the penalty area but VAR had also intervened to recommend Madley examined a challenge from Palace’s Will Hughes on Wataru Endo in the build-up which he subsequently deemed to be a foul.

Mateta’s second-half penalty had appeared to put Hodgson’s side on course to an impressive victory but there was further controversy when Palace were reduced to 10 men in the 75th minute after Ayew was sent-off.

Liverpool took full advantage of their extra player with Mohamed Salah equalising almost instantly with his shot taking a deflection off Palace defender Nathaniel Clyne inside the area, before Elliott completed the stunning comeback victory.

“It was a really bad game for us for 76th minute against an insecure Crystal Palace who had low confidence levels,” Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said after the match.

“Our first halves have been a bit tricky in recent weeks and second halves have been better, but they scored their goal and then they get the red card, but from the moment we got the equaliser we were fine.

“You can have a lot of problems against ten men but we did really well, the substitutions made a big difference and I am so happy for Harvey Elliott, who scored a great goal, then Joe Gomez and Cody Gakpo.

“I told the boys this is as bad as I have seen a team play for 76 minutes and win, but that is the objective and I am more than happy.”

Speaking of the Crystal Palace penalty, Klopp added: “Yeah you can give it, probably, but I don’t like it in slow motion because that changes everything.

“It was not a big problem for us because it woke us up, we did not have to fight against us but against the result and maybe the boys thought it was not a penalty.”

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