Jamie Carragher has insisted he “sympathizes” with Curtis Jones after he was sent off in Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.
Jones initially received a yellow card for a foul on Spurs midfielder Yves Bissouma in the first half. However, following feedback from Stockley Park’s video assistant referees Darren England and Dan Cook, referee Simon Hooper was immediately advised to review the decision on a pitchside monitor.
Then, after being shown a slow-motion replay of the tackle, Hooper upgraded his initial yellow card to red and Jones was sent off. As it stands, the 22-year-old will miss Liverpool’s next three Premier League fixtures against Brighton & Hove Albion, Everton and Nottingham Forest.
Speaking on Monday Night Football, Carragher admitted he has a “big problem” with the way in which Hooper was advised to review the decision by the VAR officials and revealed he pities with the Reds midfielder.
“There’s nothing wrong with it being a red card. I wish it hadn’t been given, not from the Liverpool side’s point of view, but as a referee I always think, 11 on 11 on the pitch. Can we maintain it?” Carragher said.
“My big question was what was shown when the referee went to look at the VAR monitor and how did he come to that decision? Right from the first shot they see, people feel like referees.” He goes to the monitor to watch the incident again – it doesn’t happen, it’s not true. What he does is he is directed to a monitor to show him why he made the mistake.
“We need to be clear about VAR. I don’t think this is my first attempt. When the referee comes to check on you, you should present the situation at full speed. I’m tired of things slowing down.
“This was the angle in full speed, watch this and when you watch it at full speed you know it’s a strong challenge, hence why the referee has given a yellow card. Then, you slow it down and get to the actual decision, with Curtis Jones I actually have a bit of sympathy for him.”
The former Liverpool defender added: “If you stop it, right away now he has got his eye on the ball and can see where (Yves) Bissouma is. It’s all in really close proximity but when you are a player and you already have in your head what you are going to do, he just gets a slight tug of his shirt, it’s not a foul but it just stops him and pulls him back, hence why he has to stretch.
“If you stop it there, because of what I have said about the referee seeing the still image – if he had seen that one before the challenge, you might have a different thought process, but he could still send him off.”
As well as seeing Jones dismissed at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, substitute Diogo Jota was also sent off for two bookable offences. Liverpool have since been fined £25,000 by the FA for accumulating more than five bookings in a fixture.
