"Klopp should appeal van Dijk's ban, try to get it increased" - Fans react as Liverpool star gives away cheap penalty on international duty

Football fans have reacted to Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk conceding a cheap penalty in the Netherlands' UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying game against the Republic of Ireland on Sunday (10 September).

The 32-year-old centre-back was adjudged to have handled the ball in the opening minutes of the game after a corner kick. On a closer look, a case can be made that an Ireland player headed the ball onto his hand.

Van Dijk appealed the decision along with his teammates, perhaps arguing that he did not intentionally move his arm onto the ball. But his flailing left arm was clearly away from his body at the time of impact.

Norwich City's Adam Idah made no mistake from the spot, scoring the spot-kick to hand his team a 1-0 lead in the fourth minute. After the incident, football fans took to Twitter to address Van Dijk's form. One tweeted:

"Klopp should appeal van Dijk's ban, try to get it increased"

Others added:

Van Dijk's Liverpool teammate, Cody Gakpo, scored the equalizer from the spot 15 minutes later to ensure that the scoreline was 1-1 at the break. The centre-back, meanwhile, was recently handed a one-game extended suspension for improper conduct in his team's 2-1 league win against Newcastle United on 27 August.

Van Dijk was sent off in the 28th minute against the Magpies after stopping a clear goal-scoring chance for Alexander Isak. His initial ban would have been for one game, which he served in the Reds' 3-0 win against Aston Villa this month.

But an independent Regulatory Commission extended the former Southampton star's ban by another game and handed him a £100,000 fine.

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Virgil van Dijk has promised fans that Liverpool will improve this season

Virgil van Dijk was selected as Liverpool's new captain this summer after the exits of captain Jordan Henderson and vice-captain James Milner.

The Netherlands international sat down for an interview with the club's official website in late July after the announcement. He was asked if his message to the Reds fans was that the club would return to fighting for top titles again.

Van Dijk replied:

"Yeah, 100 per cent. Like I said before, it hurts a lot the kind of season we had last year compared to the seasons we had before and the successes we've had... We want to show not only to ourselves but to the supporters and to the world that we are going to be back and we feel like we will be."

Liverpool finished last season in fifth and missed out on UEFA Champions League football. But they have started this campaign well under the Dutchman's captaincy and sit third in the table with 10 points from three games.