Brighton man sympathetic to Liverpool as he feels his side are entitled to a replay too

Ciaran McCarthy
Lewis Dunk, Brighton, October 2023
Lewis Dunk in training for Brighton

Brighton man Lewis Dunk has given a nuanced view regarding the debate on if Liverpool should have their loss to Tottenham replayed, suggesting the Seagulls also deserved to have a match replayed.

Jurgen Klopp is angry, and admittedly, he has solid grounds for that. His side may have been robbed of a result against Spurs because of an incorrect VAR decision.

Luis Diaz was called offside when he put the ball in the back of the net, and VAR quickly upheld that decision.

However, they had evidence that he was onside, and only upheld as they thought the goal had been given, rather than offside, meaning they thought they were giving the goal rather than ruling it out.

Of course, there’s no way of knowing how the game would have turned out had that goal stood. Tottenham could have still won, but the Reds would surely have had a better chance.

As such, Klopp is calling for a replay after the “unprecedented event”. The likes of Gary Neville have been quick to shut that suggestion down.

Brighton defender Dunk’s view is a more nuanced one than just a direct yes or no, as while he feels it’s a tricky call to make, he feels if Liverpool were to get a replay, his side should have also been offered one last season.

“It’s a difficult situation,” Dunk said, quoted by the Mirror.

“And it’s a difficult answer to give but if you look back at our game last season at Crystal Palace away we had an offside given that they marked the wrong player as well.

“So do we go back to last season and replay that game where we could get a few extra points and get in the Champions League instead of Europa League. It’s a difficult thing. Do you replay it or not?”

The answer to that question should be no, and Dunk’s suggestion gives reason to that. There are many sides who have been hard done by not only by refereeing errors, but by VAR errors.

If every single one of them got a replay, there would be a lot of games having to be rescheduled. This would set a precedent for that to happen, when the right answer should be to be upset for a while, but to move on.

Brighton did last season and Liverpool need to now, no matter how much they feel like they deserve more.

READ MORE: Vertonghen joins calls for Liverpool vs Spurs CL final to be replayed after Klopp’s VAR comments