Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk (right) is challenged by Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. Photo: VCG
"A couple of days ago something happened which should not have happened in a football game," Jurgen Klopp said at his press conference ahead of Liverpool playing Ajax in the UEFA Champions League."It was not the first time and it probably won't be the last time. I see it similar to my players. Both challenges were difficult to accept," Klopp said of injuries to Virgil van Dijk and Thiago Alcantara from challenges by Everton's Jordan Pickford and Richarlison in the Merseyside derby last weekend.
"What we can all do is try to change these kinds of things. It's really hard for us because Virgil is our boy and it has nothing to do with the quality of Virgil.
"Injuries happen in football, very often in challenges when both players are just trying to play the ball," Klopp continued.
"In this game there were a few things that came together. Firstly, the ref doesn't see it. Michael Oliver is an excellent referee usually, but why he didn't see it I don't know because he had the best view.
"Then VAR forgets the rules. It is not that I want every player punished, but it is something we all agree on - if you do something wrong, you have to deal with the consequences.
"At this moment there are only two people dealing with the consequences: Virgil van Dijk and Thiago Alcantara."
Upset players
Liverpool's Giorginio Wijnaldum, a Dutch international teammate of Van Dijk, was equally upset calling Pickford "completely stupid."
"We are still devastated and I think this was different from normal. The way it happened was really hard for us. Everyone still has a really bad feeling about it. When we were speaking with the players after Saturday none of the players had slept because of what happened with Virgil and, as I said, the way it happened. It is a really hard one to take and a hard one for the team.
"We are upset. The way Pickford went in on the challenge was completely stupid. I believe he didn't want to injury Virgil the way he injured him, but the way he took the tackle basically he didn't care about what happened after the tackle.
"We had a lot of games against Everton and they take it way too far in the games we play against them. Everyone wants to win a derby so sometimes you go a little bit over the top but it was too much. It was not only his tackle, we can talk about the tackle from Richarlison on Thiago which was also a nasty one. That is what bothered me the most and most of the other players as well.
"Accidents can always happen in football, you can be unlucky with a tackle and injure someone, but the way they were doing it is completely unacceptable.
"It makes it harder that they don't get punished. In this case Pickford doesn't get punished after seeing the videos."
It is not just Liverpool players and their coach that are upset. The fans have been vocal in their criticism of Pickford and Richarlison on social media. Things have become so serious that the Merseyside Police have become involved.
"The language used in the tweets is totally unacceptable and we are taking the reports extremely seriously," a spokesman said Monday.
"Those who use the internet to target others, and who commit criminal offences such as making threats or committing a hate crime in doing so, are not beyond the law.
"Detectives are making inquiries to identify the individuals who posted the tweets and where we identify offences we will take action to bring those responsible to justice."
Pickford reportedly apologized, according to Liverpool skipper Jordan Henderson, whose late winner was ruled out by VAR.
"Everyone keeps asking us about it so I'm guessing it's a red card. It mustn't be a good challenge," Henderson told BT Sport. "To be fair, Jordan came up and apologized to me after the game and [told me] to tell Virgil."
Richarlison also apologized to fellow Brazilian Thiago Alcantara in Portuguese, in person and later in public via his website.
"Everyone who knows my background knows that I was never a violent player."
Over-dedication
Richarlison said it was "sheer over-dedication."
"I already sent a message to him apologizing and I also do it here publicly. I hope he hasn't been hurt and that everything is fine.
"I also apologize to my teammates, my club and my fans for leaving them with one less at the end of the game. Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do to change what happened, other than to reflect, work and move on."
Moving on has proved difficult for some, with tensions still running high, especially on Twitter where one user is arranging a silent protest outside Anfield and a petition to get Pickford banned for the same length of time that Van Dijk is injured - with reports that the Dutchman is facing a battle to be fit for next year's rescheduled Euro 2020 tournament.
There is also a petition on change.org to "Sack David Coote," the official in charge of VAR for the derby. The Daily Mail reported that Coote did not know he could look at Pickford's challenge even though it happened after an offside.
"This man doesn't deserve to be in a job after his performance in Everton VS Liverpool. A blind person could've done better. GET HIM OUT," the petition demands. Almost 10,000 people had signed it midweek.
Who knows what will happen but the next derby is sure to be even spicier. Roll on February 21 at Anfield.
Newspaper headline: Seeing red, feeling blue
