Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank launched a fierce critique of the officiating following his team’s contentious 2-1 home defeat to Liverpool on Saturday. The manager’s frustration centered on two pivotal Video Assistant Referee interventions that he believes unfairly decided the match.
The flashpoint arrived in the first half when midfielder Xavi Simons, initially shown a yellow card for a challenge on Virgil van Dijk, saw it upgraded to a red after a VAR review. Frank was visibly incensed on the sideline and later argued the original on-field decision should have been final.
“I don’t believe that challenge was reckless or used excessive force,” Frank stated post-match. “When a referee’s initial call is overturned for that, it raises serious questions about the direction of the game.” While he later tempered his strongest remarks, he maintained the subsequent three-match suspension for Simons is disproportionately severe for the nature of the foul.
Frank’s grievances extended to Liverpool’s winning goal. He insisted that striker Hugo Ekitiké pushed defender Cristian Romero in the back before scoring, an offense he felt was clear enough for VAR to disallow the goal. “That’s a fundamental rule of the game. The officials on the pitch can miss it, but that’s precisely why the system is there to intervene. It was a significant error not to do so.”
The match ended with Tottenham reduced to nine men after Romero received a second yellow card in stoppage time, a dismissal Frank also considered avoidable. Despite the disappointing result, which leaves Spurs languishing in 13th place and sets an unwanted club record for home losses in a calendar year, the manager praised his squad’s resilience in adversity.
Across the technical area, Liverpool manager Arne Slot secured a valuable victory that lifts his team into the Champions League conversation, but his satisfaction was marred by an injury concern. Substitute Alexander Isak scored the opener but was forced off just minutes later following a heavy challenge.
“The immediate signs are not positive,” Slot admitted, indicating a potentially serious issue for the Swedish international. He acknowledged his team’s performance was imperfect but highlighted a steady improvement in results as his rebuilt side continues to gel.