Van Dijk gets additional ban for referee abuse

Virgil van Dijk has been hit with an additional suspension and £100,000 fine by the English Football Association for verbally abusing match officials after being sent off in Liverpool’s 2-1 win at Newcastle last month.

Van Dijk was sent off at St James’ Park for a foul on Alexander Isak which was deemed to have denied the Newcastle forward a clear goal scoring opportunity.

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Liverpool captain Van Dijk, who served an automatic one-match ban for the sending off, refused to leave the pitch straightaway and was then seen to be swearing at the fourth official.

And after admitting the charge of breaching FA Rule E3.1, Van Dijk has been given an additional game suspension and a fine by an independent commission.

An FA statement said: “Virgil van Dijk has been suspended for one match and fined £100,000 for breaching FA Rule E3.1 during Liverpool’s Premier League fixture against Newcastle United on Sunday 27 August.

“The defender admitted that he acted in an improper manner and used abusive and insulting words towards a match official after being sent off in the 29th minute, and the sanctions were subsequently imposed by an independent Regulatory Commission.

“Full written reasons for this case will be published in due course.”

Van Dijk will now miss Liverpool’s Premier League trip to Wolves on Sept. 16 as a consequence of the extra suspension.

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