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Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk caught appearing to scuff penalty spot before Jarrod Bowen’s miss

Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk has been caught appearing to scuff the penalty spot before Jarrod Bowen’s miss for West Ham on Wednesday.

The Hammers were awarded a penalty with the score at 1-0 to the Reds after a VAR review deemed Joe Gomez to have fouled Bowen.

Referee Stuart Attwell at first ignored any claims of a penalty. but after watching the incident on a number of occasions, VAR official Craig Pawson instructed Attwell to consult the pitchside monitor.

It didn’t take Attwell too long to be convinced in a decision to overturn the decision Van Dijk took matters in his own hands in an attempt to put Bowen off.

The Dutchman was filmed standing on the spot and appearing to scuff his foot, leading to many criticising him.

His efforts worked, as the England international’s strike was saved by Alisson. The Brazilian beat away the penalty which was struck low to his right and Van Dijk avoided any punishment for his actions.

Former Liverpool winger Steve McManaman and ex-England international Eni Aluko discussed the incident at the half-time interval. McManaman felt Van Dijk only stood on the spot.

He commented: “Is it a scuff or a step? I just think he stepped on it.”

It was the first spot kick Bowen has missed in his Hammers career. He had scored his previous two spot-kicks for the club and hadn’t missed from 12 yards since Hull’s 1-0 Championship loss to Blackburn in August 2019.

Aluko claimed Van Dijk’s involvement may well have put Bowen off. She said: “Do you know what, that’s part of the game though. That might have been the difference putting him off.”

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson saved Bowen’s spot-kick diving to his right, while Gomez breathed a sigh of relief as the Reds retained their 1-0 lead after Darwin Nunez got his first Anfield goal with a header.

Van Dijk’s antics were spotted by plenty of fans on social media with one fan commented on the incident, saying: “Van Dijk using the VAR check to scuff up the penalty spot… cheeky.”

Another wrote: “Whether Van Dijk scuffed it or not, that penalty was absolutely woeful.”

A third said: “Happens for every penalty, just because it’s Liverpool people start losing their minds over it.”

This is what fans said with Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk caught appearing to scuff the penalty spot before Jarrod Bowen’s miss…

@OliverPaoloWHU: Didn’t change anything

@BenRobe02248903: It’s still unsportsmanlike

@teddyc49: Gabriel got sent off for this last season

@CharleyWHU: Van dijk u cheating prick #coyi #whufc

@Tom_S118: You’d love it if a West Ham player did that and the other team missed a penalty

@jake_kelty: Either way it’s a shocking penalty so literally makes no difference

@Blowmonkey1: Penalty was pathetic. Like a fkg back pass

@robgeorghiou: Don’t worry…. It was only a bit of fun. Just ask @btsportfootball and McManaman

@JonScottClark6: If this was a West Ham player they would be getting punished for this unprofessional behaviour. Setting a great example Van Cheat. 👍🏻

@steveessexxx: Should get a retrospective red card âš’

@Irons_Home: Top class cunt.

@WHUbluesman: Woman on Amazon coverage just said scuffing up the penalty spot is part of the game, are you sure ?

@darrenhilditch: Cheating kopites again

@Hairymonkeyboy: The most shocking moment of that half? Van Dijk clearly doesn’t know how shite we’ve been at pens, so he thought he had to sabotage it himself. No sweat, we’ve been pretty good at sabotaging them on our own this season. #LIVWHU #COYI #WHUFC

@tjcini_39: Would you expect anything else from the scumbags.

@SamToulson31: Virgil van dijk is a prick #WHUFC

@WestHamBubbleFC: Van Dijk scuffing the penalty spot is SO Liverpool. The most disgusting, hate-able team in the history of football. It’s blatant cheating and I will not listen to any argument on that. #livwhu #Liverpool #westham #whufc #vandijk

@NotJimWhite1: Predictably classless from @VirgilvDijk #cheat

@Rusty_Outside: Unsportsmanlike conduct – 3 match ban.

@RichieT64: Cheap unprofessional … so called dark arts bollocks

@markham02: CHEAT!!

@shane_abs: Should definitely be a retrospective ban for this. Disgusting behaviour but I expect nothing less from Liverpool.

@arnott_marc: If it happened against them, there would be petitions for the player to be deported.

@Calufc96: Outright cheating. Absolute disgrace, good job this wasn’t somebody outside of the big 6.

@SaturdayRoyal: Should be a yellow card for van Dijk there. Scuffing up the penalty spot and getting away with it. Level of gamesmanship in football nowadays is a disgrace #LIVWHU #WHUFC

@harryhammerSN7: It’s wrong, but didn’t have an affect on the penalty strike, which was at a comfortable height for the keeper. ⚒

@MCsneaks1: Its cheating to be fair but its Virgil so its fine

@allman85: Ashamed of nothing

@Allanwild: Players should be banned for this is unsportsmanlike behaviour

@_Riddxck: My grandad on viagra would of taken a better penalty

@ZombieRocker86: Van Dijk absolutely scummy player. No integrity. #LivWHU #WestHam #COYI hate Liverpool

@charlottyyy09: @premierleague – anything to say?

@davep3370: Is he the first player to do it no. Will he be the last player to do it no. Get over it

@DCrux: If Zouma did this…. The uproar would be immense. Liverpool fans will laugh it off and be like it’s fine …

@GoldenGoonerlg: Tried that against us, but Saka was standing on the spot, then VVD tried to knock the ball out of Sakas hands, but Martinelli and Xhaka pushed him out of the way

@andymasonirons: Its Liverpool so it’s ok can’t upset them other way round there would be uproar

@JohnMcMah0n: At least our centre half doesn’t kick cats you stupid fucker

@MrPFish: 3 match ban unsportsmanlike

@philmason01: Players should be banned for offences and cheating like this – Klopp will still defend it! Typical scousers

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