August 30 – Liverpool’s influential Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk has been charged by the English Football Association for behaving in an “improper manner” following his red card during their 2-1 Premier League win at Newcastle United on Sunday.
The Liverpool captain was issued a straight red card by referee John Brooks around the half-hour mark for a foul on Newcastle’s Alexander Isak and initially refused to leave the pitch before remonstrating with the fourth official.
The red card earned him an automatic one-match ban but the suspension could be increased.
“It’s alleged that the defender acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words towards a match official after being sent off in the 29th minute,” the FA said in a statement.
Van Dijk will have until Friday to respond to the charge.
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