Virgil van Dijk angry after derby: 'There are 50 cameras—how did VAR not see it?'
Van Dijk called the non-awarded first-half penalty ‘clear’ and questioned how VAR missed the incident captured on multiple cameras.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk criticised the officiating after his side's 1-0 defeat to Arsenal on November 1, 2026, saying a clear first-half penalty was ignored despite multiple camera angles.
The most contentious moment came when Jurrien Timber brought down Alexander Isak inside the box during the first half. Liverpool had appealed for penalties several times before that incident.
Van Dijk was frustrated that on-field referee Andy Madley did not award a spot-kick and that VAR did not intervene. "It was a clear penalty for us, how did VAR not see it? I mean, there are 50 cameras… Everyone saw it. In the end, it wasn't given and congratulations to Arsenal," the Dutchman said.
Reaction on social media
Fans and pundits reacted quickly online. One post captured the moment succinctly: "Timber holding Isak back because he knows he's heading that in 😂😂😂 Delicious cross btw." The clip and discussions circulated widely after the match.
Despite Liverpool's complaints, the result stood and Arsenal left with a 1-0 victory, a scoreline that left the home side and their captain voicing questions over VAR intervention and referee decisions.
Photo: press material from the event
