I thought VAR came in to stop cheats like Diego Jota – Not reward and encourage them

In partnership with

The Mag

·2 January 2024

I thought VAR came in to stop cheats like Diego Jota – Not reward and encourage them

Diego Jota sealed the victory for Liverpool.

Replacing Diaz on 65 minutes, the former Wolves striker sent clear behind the Newcastle United defence.

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Liverpool had seen Newcastle bring it back to 1-1, then when the home side made it 3-1, a towering Botman header (off his shoulder!) had brought it back to 3-2 and nerves amongst those in red.

However, Liverpool break from their own box and Mac Allister’s ball brilliant dissects the two Newcastle defenders to pick out the only Liverpool player .

Diego Jota running into the box, Dubravka coming towards him but withdrawing his arms at the last minute.

Diego Jota head left around the Newcastle keeper.

Diego Jota takes a few strides and then realises he has knocked the ball too far left.

Diego Jota then puts on a sudden comical face that is supposed to portray agony, takes another step and then even more comically throws himself to the ground, as in, hit by a carefully concealed sniper’s bullet.

Diego Jota in his agony though, still managing to bravely twist in midair so that when he hits the ground he can immediately be looking back at the referee to demand a penalty

Even though Newcastle United were already 3-2 down, I was laughing.

I was thinking just how much trouble Diego Jota is going to be in for this outrageous cheating and how he is going to be humiliated by everybody covering the match for Liverpool TV, sorry, Sky Sports.

What is this though?

Anthony Taylor gives the penalty!

The referee booking Dubravka and NOT Diego Jota.

Never mind, surely when the VAR intervenes we will finally see justice done.

Apparently not.

I still can’t believe it.

The penalty still given and the cheating Diego Jota a Liverpool hero.

I thought Gary Neville had been strangely poor during commentary, bizarrely joining in with the way over the top all about Liverpool coverage (I thought the main commentator, whoever he was, was going to instantaneously combust whenever the scousers got into our penalty area, which to be fair was canny often!).

Anyway, at least Gary Neville was having none of this nonsense and called out Diego Jota for the cheat he was. However, nobody else on Liverpool TV / Sky Sports was, to my alcohol fuelled memory. Certainly not refereeing expert Mike Dean (how on earth does he get this gig, he is a disgrace), who saw nothing wrong with Diego Jota and his match sealing moment. Mo Salah scoring from his second penalty to make it 4-2 and game over.

I thought VAR came in to stop cheats like Diego Jota – Not reward and encourage them.

Just watch on the highlights from 2.48…

Stats via BBC Sport:

Liverpool 4 Newcastle 2 – Monday 1 January 2024 8pm:

Goals:

Newcastle United:

Isak 54, Botman 81

Liverpool:

Salah 49, 86 pen, Jones 74, Gazpo 78

(Half-time stats in brackets)

Possession was Liverpool 63% (63%) Newcastle 37% (37%)

Total shots were Liverpool 34 (18) Newcastle 5 (1)