Former England striker and prominent broadcaster Gary Lineker has expressed his fury over the decision to send off Tottenham Hotspur's Xavi Simons during their Premier League defeat to Liverpool on Saturday.
The Controversial Incident at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
The pivotal moment occurred in the 33rd minute of the match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, 22nd December 2025. With Liverpool leading 2-1, Tottenham midfielder Xavi Simons challenged Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk as the defender played the ball back to his goalkeeper, Alisson Becker.
On-field referee John Brooks initially showed Simons a yellow card for the tackle, which appeared to make contact with Van Dijk's Achilles. However, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) intervened, prompting Brooks to review the incident on the pitch-side monitor. After watching the replay, the official upgraded the caution to a straight red card, reducing Spurs to ten men for the remainder of the game.
Lineker's Forceful Critique on 'The Rest Is Football'
Weighing in on his popular podcast, 'The Rest Is Football', Lineker did not hold back in his assessment. "I'm going to have a little bit of a rant myself here," he began, before systematically dismantling the rationale for the dismissal.
Lineker argued that the slow-motion replay unfairly exaggerated the nature of the challenge. "I know in slow motion you can pick it apart, his studs may have caught the back of his calf, but the fella is just trying to put his foot on the ground. I mean there's absolutely zero intent," he stated emphatically.
He continued, "I just can't stand red cards for things like that, it was nothing. In normal speed it wasn't that... it's just his foot landing, he flicks him. It's nothing, it's absolutely nothing." Lineker concluded that a yellow card would have been a sufficient punishment for what he deemed an accidental foul.
His co-host, Alan Shearer, agreed, labelling the incident "totally accidental."
Reactions from the Managers and Players Involved
The sending-off sparked immediate controversy on the touchline and in the post-match interviews. Tottenham manager Thomas Frank was visibly incensed, famously declaring that "the game is gone" in his assessment of the decision.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot offered a more conciliatory view, suggesting that Simons had not deliberately tried to injure his captain. Meanwhile, the players directly involved showed a remarkable display of sportsmanship. Xavi Simons took to social media to apologise, writing: "Mistakes happen. Virg is my captain, I would never intentionally hurt him or anyone... I take responsibility. I'm really sorry."
Virgil van Dijk later revealed he had spoken with Simons after the match, but kept the details private, saying: "I don't think there was any intention to hurt me... It's a chat that no-one needs to know."
The incident and its fallout have ignited yet another fierce debate about the application of VAR and the interpretation of serious foul play in the modern Premier League, with a high-profile figure like Lineker adding significant fuel to the fire.
