Tottenham 2-1 Liverpool: Spurs' Thomas Frank Criticizes VAR Decisions After Defeat
Tottenham suffered a 2-1 defeat to Liverpool at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 20 December 2025, leaving Spurs 13th in the league table. The match was marked by controversial VAR decisions that sparked criticism from Tottenham's manager Thomas Frank.
In the first half, Xavi Simons was sent off after VAR upgraded a yellow card to a red for a serious foul on Virgil van Dijk. Frank stated that the original yellow card should have remained and deemed the red card too harsh. Later, Cristian Romero received a second yellow card during added time following an on-pitch incident with Ibrahima Konaté, reducing Tottenham to nine men.
Frank also highlighted a VAR error during Liverpool's second goal when Hugo Ekitiké was not penalized for pushing Romero, describing this oversight as a big mistake. He further criticized the three-match ban given to Simons, arguing that the tackle was neither reckless nor exceptional.
The loss marked Tottenham's 11th home league defeat in 2025, setting a club record. Liverpool, meanwhile, moved level on points with Chelsea as they continued their fight for fourth place.
During the match, Alexander Isak came on at half-time but was forced off after 11 minutes due to an injury sustained from a heavy tackle by Micky van de Ven during a scoring opportunity. Manager Slot commented that Isak's condition remains unclear and expressed a pessimistic gut feeling about the injury.
