Xavi Simons saw red in the first half of Tottenham’s clash with Liverpool (Action Images via Reuters)

Xavi Simons saw red in the first half of Tottenham’s clash with Liverpool (Action Images via Reuters)

Gary Neville laid into Xavi Simons after a “ridiculous challenge” on Virgil van Dijk saw the Tottenham midfielder sent off in the first half of Spurs’ Premier League clash with Liverpool.

Simons was chasing down Van Dijk before lunging ambitiously towards the Liverpool captain, raking his studs down his Dutch compatriot’s calf while getting nowhere near the ball.

Follow live: Tottenham down to 10 men against Liverpool after Simons red card

The 22-year-old was initially shown a yellow card by referee John Brooks before VAR intervened, advising him to the pitch-side monitor to review his decision.

The caution was subsequently upgraded to a straight red card as Simons was given his marching orders just after the half-hour mark, something co-commentator Neville thought was completely warranted.

Xavi Simons saw red after a VAR review (REUTERS)

Xavi Simons saw red after a VAR review (REUTERS)

“Simons was never going to get there,” he said on Sky Sports’ broadcast of the game. “He rakes his studs right down the back of Van Dijk's leg. That's not clever. It’s a poor, poor challenge. It’s a ridiculous challenge.

“He is absolutely nowhere near the football. Malicious, nasty, reckless? Whatever you want to call it. Stupidity.

"Virgil van Dijk is six foot four and 15 stone. If it is the other way around, it's a leg breaker.”

Simons saw red after his challenge was deemed as serious foul play, which constitutes as “a tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality”.

Simons has struggled to make an impact at Tottenham since his £52m arrival from RB Leipzig in the summer, managing just a goal and two assists in the Premier League this season.

The damage done to Virgil van Dijk’s sock after Simons’ challenge (Getty Images)

The damage done to Virgil van Dijk’s sock after Simons’ challenge (Getty Images)

While able to sympathise with the Dutchman amid his on-pitch his struggles, Neville said Simons could have no complaints about the referee’s verdict, something that was demonstrated by the reaction of his teammates.

Cristian Romero would not have been sent off in Tottenham's 2-1 Premier League loss to Liverpool if referee John Brooks "did his job" properly, says Spurs manager Thomas Frank.

Tottenham were reduced to 10 men in the first half after a VAR intervention when Xavi Simons was dismissed for a foul on Virgil van Dijk.

However, the hosts fought back and reduced the deficit late on through substitute Richarlison.

Despite being a man down, Tottenham were well on top in stoppage time and chasing an equaliser when their captain Romero received a second yellow card for a petulant kick out at Ibrahima Konate.

Romero's first booking came for dissent in the aftermath of Liverpool's second goal, with the Argentine feeling Hugo Ekitike had pushed him in the back as he headed in.

"There is a massive mistake by John [Brooks] on the pitch. Two hands on the back by Ekitike," said Frank.

"I don't understand how he didn't see it. OK. Luckily we have VAR so they will bail you out when you need it, which they didn't. That was the second mistake.

"I think if you go back to that [second Liverpool goal] and the referee did his job, then I think it would not have been a first yellow [for Romero]. Is that fair to say?

"I have a player that is extremely passionate, and if you have a passionate player then you need to go to the line sometimes."

In a post on X, the Premier League match centre, said: "The referee's call of goal for Liverpool was checked and confirmed by VAR - with it deemed there was normal contact for an aerial challenge between Ekitike and Romero."

Former Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given agreed on Match of the Day: "I think John Brooks has got it right."

Spurs can take a number of positives from fighting back with a numerical disadvantage against last term's champions, however the result leaves Frank's side 13th in the table.

Tottenham's 11 home league defeats in 2025 are also their most in a calendar year - and the fact five of those have come under the Dane, who took over from Ange Postecoglou in the summer, will place further scrutiny over his reign.

Liverpool hold on for chaotic win at nine-man Spurs

'What Romero did is what Romero does'

However, there are also likely to be question marks over Romero's suitability as the club's captain.

The Argentine, who was appointed as Tottenham skipper by Frank in the summer after the departure of Son Heung-min to Los Angeles FC, has a chequered disciplinary record.

In 114 Premier League appearances the former Atalanta defender has collected 34 yellow cards and three red cards.

Tottenham, alongside Bournemouth, have the most yellow cards in the top flight this season with 42 - and 21% of those (nine) can be attributed to Romero.

"Thomas Frank is having a whinge about it, but none of the Tottenham players are complaining. The ones who have seen it are going 'what are you doing?'

“It’s the fact he’s nowhere near the ball. When you put your studs down someone’s ankle (or) calf like that from behind, you’re asking for big trouble.

“That’s a player that’s struggling. Struggling with his form, struggling mentally. He’s just tried to involve himself in the game by somehow trying to put a bit of fight into it, a bit of muscle into it, but that’s not the way to do it.”