"I don’t think there’s enough there" - Ex-Liverpool star Jamie Carragher reacts to Virgil Van Dijk's sending off against Newcastle

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher reckons Reds captain Virgil van Dijk was wrongly sent off in the Premier League game at Newcastle United on Sunday (August 27). In the end, Liverpool won the dramatic encounter after coming back from being a goal down and with ten men on the field.

The Netherlands international saw a straight red for denying a goalscoring opportunity to Alexander Isak just minutes after the Magpies had opened the scoring through Anthony Gordon. Gordon had intercepted the ball after some loose play by Trent Alexander-Arnold as disaster struck the visitors in rapid succession.

The Dutchman seemed to have caught the ball but got his man first, leading to referee John Brooks brandishing a straight red. Minutes later, VAR upheld the decision, leading to a fuming Van Dijk trudging off, having a word with the fourth official before going down the tunnel.

Sky Sports pundit Carragher reckoned the offence wasn't worthy of a straight red, but Van Dijk would have been better off not challenging Isak. The former Reds defender, though, added that it wasn't the denial of a goalscoring opportunity (via Liverpoolworld):

“Virgil van Dijk does a lot wrong here. He’s lazy initially in terms of not getting across; the decision to make a challenge is ill-advised - but I still don’t believe that’s a red card. I don’t think there’s enough there. How do you know that’s a goalscoring opportunity?

“I think he’s lazy, he should get over earlier, he should not really make the challenge but that is not a red card.”

Carragher's co-commentator Shay Given, though, disagreed, countering:

“I disagree, I think it’s the right decision. It’s a red card because Isak is a centre forward, and he’s trying to let the ball run across him and he’s through one-on-one with Alisson, and he’s denied a goalscoring opportunity.”

The dismissal marked the first red card for Van Dijk in a Reds jersey.

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What does Pat Nevin think about Liverpool captain Van Dijk's red card?

Liverpool captain Van Dijk saw red against Newcastle.

Liverpool bossed the early proceedings at St. James' Park before being jolted by the Newcastle's opener. Barely had they settled into their half when Van Dijk brought down Isak and was shown a straight red, dividing opinions.

Former Scotland winger Pat Nevin said on BBC Radio 5 Live that Van Dijk deserved to be sent off, observing that it looked like a red from a distance. He said:

“Virgil van Dijk got too close. The first look at it from a distance away looked like a red card. That is a big, big call. They have had a lot of looks at it, that’s what VAR is for and he’s not even had a look.”

The Dutchman is set to miss the next game - against Aston Villa at home (September 3) - as red cards for professional fouls attract an automatic one-match ban, while those for violent conduct attract three.