Virgil van Dijk says Michael Oliver ‘didn’t have control’ in Everton’s “cup final”

Virgil van Dijk had strong words for referee Michael Oliver after Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Everton, insisting the official “didn’t have the game under control.”

Oliver’s fingerprints were all over the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park and, not for the first time this season, not in a positive way.

The referee struggled to keep up with the pace of the game and his attempts to manage the tie left both sides frustrated.

That was felt heavily by Liverpool, with Oliver awarding a soft free-kick for Everton‘s opener, denying a clear foul on Mohamed Salah when 2-1 up late on and ignoring a shove on Ibrahima Konate before James Tarkowski’s equaliser.

• EXPLAINED: What happened after full time of Everton 2-2 Liverpool – 4 sent off

"We all know this is their cup final."

Virgil van Dijk reacts to Liverpool's draw at Goodison Park ?

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He then sent off Arne Slot, assistant Sipke Hulshoff, Curtis Jones and Abdoulaye Doucoure during ugly scenes after full-time, with Van Dijk giving his opinion during an interview with TNT Sports.

“We saw how they celebrated the goal, they have every right to,” the Liverpool captain said.

“But in the end I think Doucoure wanted to provoke our fans and Curtis didn’t think that was the right thing to do.

“Then obviously you know what happens when there’s a little tussle.

“But I think the ref didn’t have the game under control, in my opinion. I said it to him. I don’t know what it is, but it is a fact.

“Both teams had to deal with it. It is what it is. Like I said, take the point and move on.”

Though Everton will come away from the derby with a much more positive feeling, the context of the result is still in Liverpool’s favour given they are seven points clear at the top of the table.

Van Dijk summed it up when he said “we all know that this is their cup final,” with perspective required for the title favourites.

“They did the same things they always do. They’re very direct. Fight for the first ball, second ball,” the Dutchman said.

“Obviously we all know that this is their cup final and they will try to everything in their power to make it difficult and try to win from us.

“We saw it last year how difficult they made it and this year you see them scoring at the end, it’s obviously a big boost for them and a blow for us.”

That was, of course, not aided by Oliver’s input, with Van Dijk adding: “I think the referee had a big part in the game today, in terms of certain challenges were given as fouls and similar weren’t.”