James Maddison pokes fun at Liverpool replay request

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder James Maddison has poked fun at Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp asking for the recent Premier League clash between the clubs to be replayed due to a VAR error that cost the Reds a goal in the 2-1 defeat.

Luis Diaz scored when the game was 0-0. The Colombian winger was flagged offside, but VAR didn’t intervene to overrule the incorrect on-field decision. Initially, the officials with access failed to spot the mistake, as revealed in the released audio, before it was too late to change things.

Spurs eventually won the game in the 96th minute through a Joel Matip own goal.

“It’s an obvious mistake. There should be solutions for that,” Klopp argued afterwards. “The outcome should be a replay. But it probably won’t happen. The argument against that would be it opens the gates. It is unprecedented. I’m used to wrong and difficult decisions, but something like this never happened.”

Having recorded another win against Luton Town in their final game before the international break, Spurs have moved top of the Premier League table. Liverpool, meanwhile, dropped more points against Brighton & Hove Albion and are three points off the pace.

Maddison has thrived at Spurs since making the £40m summer switch from relegated Leicester, quickly becoming a fan favourite and being appointed vice-captain.

Now on international break with England, he hasn’t missed an opportunity to further ingratiate himself with Spurs supporters at the expensive of Liverpool, Klopp and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The 26-year-old shared a picture of himself with Alexander-Arnold during an England gym session in which the Liverpool defender was gesticulating and looking incredulous over something. Maddison cheekily added the captain: “Still asking for a replay,” with laughing and heart emojis.

The pair stand to be involved in England’s friendly against Australia on Friday, followed by a Euro 2024 qualifier against reigning champions Italy the following Tuesday. Victory in the latter game could see the Three Lions qualify for next summer’s finals in Germany if Ukraine and North Macedonia only manage to draw in the group’s other fixture.