Liverpool's Van Dijk accuses Spurs' Kane of diving

0 Comment(s)Print E-mail SHINE, February 6, 2018
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Tottenham striker Harry Kane wins a penalty after a challenge from Loris Karius.

Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk accused Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane of diving and Eric Lamela of exaggerating to get a penalty in Sunday's pulsating 2-2 English Premier League draw at Anfield.


The visitors were awarded two penalties, one of which Kane scored with virtually the final kick of the game to earn his side a point. Kane missed the other spot kick after Loris Karius was adjudged to have brought him down.


But Dutchman Van Dijk, who was penalized for the second penalty, said neither should have been given.


"I think the first penalty was offside and I think it is a dive," Van Dijk said. "You see him (Kane) diving clearly and no-one is talking about that.


"There is a lot of discussion about whether it is offside, yes or no, but I think it was offside as well. The referee made his decision together with the linesman. It was good for us that it was saved."


TV sound recording of referee Jon Moss and his assistant revealed confusion about whether the ball had been accidentally played on to Kane by Liverpool's Dejan Lovren. Moss decided to award the kick even though he said he had "no idea" if the defender had touched the ball.


Van Dijk was equally critical of the second decision after Lamela collapsed theatrically under his challenge.


"For the second penalty, I see him coming and I try and hold my leg in, he just pulled his body in front of the ball and he goes down," Van Dijk said.


"The ref said play on and I was very disappointed that the linesman said otherwise. Unlucky I think. First of all it was offside and secondly he just put his body in front of me. I don't think that is a pen and the same with the first one."


The FA will decide whether to take retrospective action against Kane or Lamela, with both penalties likely to be reviewed by an independent panel.


Kane hit back at van Dijk's claim.


"He (Karius) has dived, he got in the way and I'm a player. I'm not going to jump out of the way because it's football," said Kane. "I definitely felt contact and I went down."


Kane's late strike brought up a century of EPL goals in his 141st match.


Only Alan Shearer (124) reached the landmark more quickly and the Tottenham striker now has his sights set on the next 100, with Shearer's all-time record of 260 still some way off.


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