Fresh VAR footage of Newcastle United incident released as Liverpool player faces further punishment

Liverpool came from behind to win the match 2-1 despite captain Virgil van Dijk being shown an early red card for a challenge on Alexander Isak. Referee John Brooks handed the Dutch defender his first sending off as a Liverpool player following a quick VAR check.

Sky Sports’ Match Officials: Mic’d Up’ hosted by former Newcastle and Liverpool striker Michael Owen and featuring Professional Game Match Officials Limited chief refereeing officer Howard Webb has attempted to clear up the call by broadcasting the interaction between video assistant referee Stuart Attwell and on field referee John Brooks.

Following Van Dijk’s challenge on Isak, VAR Attwell said: “APP [attacking possession phase]. Possible offside. Possible DOGSO [denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity].

Brooks responded with: “It’s outside [the box], outside, outside. And it’s a red card. He’s through and he’s gone through the man, red card.”

Attwell urged Brooks to delay the red card as he checked a potential offside against Isak and the challenge by Van Dijk.

Brooks appeared confident with the call to send the Liverpool skipper off as he said: “No. He comes through the man. He comes through the man, through the man to play the ball.”

On VAR Attwell continued: “Okay, can you shift it [the camera angle]? Have you got another angle on point of contact, please.

“Okay, it’s a clear foul. Brooksy, it’s Stuart, I’m happy with the foul. I’m just going to check sanction and APP, standby.

“Okay, so I’m happy with that being...freeze it there, freeze it there. Okay, so the ball’s going to roll across the front of him.

“Without the moving challenge, the attacker’s got position. He’s moving directly into the penalty area, that’s fine.”

In the meantime, Brooks told Van Dijk on the pitch: “They will check [the decision]. And he’s not, he’s going inside.

“They will check, they will check. Just wait! I will tell you if you need to go and you need to go immediately. It’s clearly a foul, they have just checked the location.

“Don’t do anything silly. Listen you will be sent off, unless he [Isak] is offside. It is very, very tight.”

The VAR check confirmed Isak was onside and was fouled by Van Dijk outside of the penalty area, resulting in a red card.

Van Dijk served his one-match ban against Aston Villa over the weekend but could be facing further punishment after being charged by the Football Association for allegedly using abusive language towards Brooks.

Reflecting on the previously unseen footage, Webb praised the decision-making and effectiveness of VAR in this instance.

“We think it is a good communication of a foul by John Brooks and we see in the end Van Dijk does play the ball but, to get there, he clearly kicks through the foot of Isak and it denies a goalscoring opportunity,” he said.

“Van Dijk is not protected by the fact that if that had happened in the penalty area it would have been a yellow card for an attempt to play the ball or challenge for the ball. It’s outside the penalty area so therefore it still has to be a red card for DOGSO.”