Tottenham Hotspur were forced to play with ten men during their Premier League showdown with Liverpool after Xavi Simons was shown a red card for a dangerous tackle on Virgil van Dijk.
The incident occurred in the 32nd minute when Simons aggressively closed down the Liverpool captain in an attempt to win possession. Instead of timing his challenge, the Spurs midfielder lunged in recklessly, catching Van Dijk with his left foot in a studs-up motion.
Van Dijk was left clearly hurt following the collision. Although the referee initially reached for a yellow card, the VAR officials quickly intervened and advised a closer look at the challenge.
After reviewing the footage on the pitchside monitor, the referee overturned the original decision and dismissed Simons with a straight red card.
The Tottenham midfielder appeared to accept the verdict, offering little protest as he walked off the pitch, leaving his side a man down for the remainder of the contest.
The decision sparked debate among fans, but many felt the severity of the challenge justified the sending-off.
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