English FA Charges Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk

Liverpool captain, Virgil van Dijk has been charged with a breach of English FA rule E3.1 following Liverpool’s Premier League game against Newcastle United on Sunday, 27 August 2023.

This charge is coming after Virgil van Dijk responded in an “improper manner” after receiving a red card during Liverpool’s victory over Newcastle on the said date.

In the 29th minute of the game at St. James’ Park, the Liverpool captain was shown a straight red card for a challenge on Alexander Isak.

During the VAR review, the Netherlands defender looked to quarrel with referee John Brooks.

The FA alleged that Van Dijk used “abusive and/or insulting words”, on the referee which is against the rules of the English FA.

A statement from the FA earlier today, August 29 reads in part, “It’s alleged that the defender acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words towards a match official after being sent off in the 29th minute.”

The 32-year-old Netherlands center-back, who also appeared to argue with the fourth official before making his way down the tunnel, has until Friday to respond to the charge.

The incident happened three minutes after Newcastle United took the lead in the 25th minute through the boots of Anthony Gordon.

Even though the club’s talismanic defender was sent off from the game in the 29th minute and Liverpool played the rest of the game with ten men, coach Jurgen Klopp, and his boys managed to come from a goal down to win 2-1 courtesy of a brace from Darwin Nunez, to maintain their unbeaten run this season.

Currently, Van Dijk will serve a one-match ban for the initial red card and miss Liverpool’s next game against Aston Villa on Sunday, September 3.