Ryan Mason, the interim manager of Tottenham, was furious that Diogo Jota avoided receiving “one of the clearest red cards” after winning the match for Liverpool in stoppage time. Jota received a yellow card from referee Paul Tierney at Anfield with 10 seconds left in the game as Liverpool led 3-2 after hitting Spurs player
Oliver Skipp in the forehead with a high boot. Skipp was forced to leave the game after suffering a significant head injury, but Jota continued to play and scored Liverpool’s thrilling goal 99 seconds shortly after Richarlison appeared to have saved the game for Spurs in the final minute of play.
Ryan Mason, the Spurs manager spoke to the media after the game and discussed the potential red card. He said, “When you talk about endangering an opponent, to draw blood from a stud when Skipp’s head is five-and-a-half feet in the air baffles me. That type of decision is maybe the difference between winning the game or not.It’s tough to understand and I would like an explanation. I saw the incident in real time and you have a feel for those sort of moments. The VAR official has the benefit of a replay.”
Mason was adamant that it was a red card and discussed how he needed an explanation from the referees for such a decision. He said,
“I would like an explanation and a reason why it wasn’t [a red card]. I can understand referees and officials on the pitch missing it even though my feeling was an instant red card because when your foot is studs showing and you’re five-and-a-half feet off the ground and make contact with a player’s head and draw blood, and there is a gash, I think it ticks all the boxes.”
The English International then discussed how that decision had affected the game and how the player that dealt the decisive blow shouldn’t have been on the field. He said, “Probably more so an experienced referee in the VAR room, you want him to help the official on the pitch at that moment. Listen, it’s decided the game because that player on the pitch shouldn’t have been on there at the end. I’m pretty sure most football people’s opinions will probably feel the same.”
