Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has played down the controversy surrounding Xavi Simons’ red card during Tottenham Hotspur’s recent Premier League clash with the Reds, making it clear he doesn’t believe the Spurs midfielder deliberately tried to injure him.

The incident occurred early in the first half when Simons was shown a straight red card after a VAR review upgraded his initial yellow card for a reckless studs-up challenge that caught Van Dijk on the calf. The dismissal left Tottenham a man down and had a big influence on the match’s outcome.

Speaking after the 2–1 win in north London — where Alexander Isak opened the scoring before suffering an injury — Van Dijk said he had already spoken to Simons privately and did not feel there was any intent to harm involved in the tackle.

🗣️ “I don’t think he meant to hurt me. Obviously, the challenge ended up hurting, but the referee and VAR made the decision they did,” Van Dijk explained, adding that what was said in their conversation was personal and didn’t need to be shared publicly.

Despite the challenge being harsh, Van Dijk’s comments underline a message of sportsmanship and unity, especially given both players are Dutch internationals.

Liverpool’s win moves them up the Premier League table, while Tottenham remain in mid-table limbo following the controversial dismissal.