Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has accused Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane of diving to win a penalty in Sunday’s dramatic 2-2 Premier League draw at Anfield.
Referee Jon Moss ruled Tottenham’s England international had been brought down after the slightest of touches from goalkeeper Loris Karius after being controversially allowed to play on despite being in an offside position.
Kane missed the penalty but redeemed himself from the spot deep into added time after Van Dijk was adjudged to have fouled Erik Lamela – the striker’s 100th Premier League goal.
But the world’s most expensive defender thinks Kane was lucky to get the first award, especially after Dele Alli had been booked for diving in the box moments earlier.
“I think it is a dive. You see [Kane] diving clearly and no one is talking about it but I think it is a dive,” said Van Dijk, who joined Liverpool from Southampton last month for £75 million ($106 million).
“There is a lot of discussion about whether it is offside, yes or no, but I think it was offside as well.
“You could just see him making that dive. The referee made his decision together with the linesman. It was good for us that it got saved.”
Asked whether he thought Kane should be retrospectively punished, the Dutch international added: “That is not something for me.
“I thought it was a dive, that is my opinion and the referee thought it was no offside and no dive and he gave a pen. Good for us that we saved it.”
Van Dijk was also unhappy with the award of the second penalty, when Lamela went down as the Dutchman tried to clear the ball.
“I saw him coming in the end and I try and hold my leg in – he just pulled his body in front of the ball and he goes down,” he said.
“The ref said play on and I was very disappointed that the linesman said otherwise. I don’t think that is a penalty, same with the first one. That is also clearly not a penalty.”
Liverpool are third in the Premier League, five points behind second-placed Manchester United, while Spurs are fifth.
