Virgil van Dijk has expressed concerns over the performance of referee Tony Harrington after Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Fulham on Saturday.
The Reds were forced to come from behind twice, with Diogo Jota’s 86th-minute equalizer salvaging a point.
However, the match was marred by an early red card for Andy Robertson, who was sent off for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.
Despite the controversial decisions, Van Dijk was particularly critical of Harrington, suggesting that the referee appeared “nervous” during the match.
“I spoke with some of the Fulham players, and we all sensed that the referee was a little bit unsure,” Van Dijk said after the match.
He added that both he and Robertson struggled to communicate effectively with the official throughout the game.
Liverpool felt hard done by, especially given the yellow cards issued to Fulham’s Andreas Pereira and Issa Diop for high challenges that many felt deserved more severe punishment.
Van Dijk, however, chose not to place the blame solely on the referee. “It is what it is. We can’t blame the referee completely; it’s part of the game,” he remarked.
As Liverpool’s captain, Van Dijk also expressed his desire for better communication with officials, suggesting that players should be able to speak on behalf of their team during such contentious moments.
“We are apparently the only ones who can speak to the referee,” he said. “I think if I’m representing my team, I should be allowed to voice concerns.”
While acknowledging the referee’s performance, Van Dijk remained focused on the bigger picture, stating,
“We shouldn’t make a big deal out of it. It’s not the reason we dropped points. We take the draw and move on.”