Tottenham get fresh referee verdict on Micky van de Ven tackle after Alexander Isak broken leg

Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven’s challenge on Liverpool’s Alexander Isak left the striker with a suspected broken leg

Tottenham have received a fresh referee verdict on the tackle from Micky van de Ven on Alexander Isak, which led to a suspected leg fracture for the forward.

Thomas Frank’s team fell to a narrow 2-1 defeat in north London on Saturday evening, with Isak netting the first goal after half-time. However, following his successful strike, a slide tackle from Van de Ven caught Isak’s leg as he planted it, forcing him out of the game.

The immediate reaction of concern from his fellow players painted a grim picture. A stretcher was summoned, but Isak managed to hobble off the pitch with assistance from Liverpool’s medical team.

READ MORE: Wayne Rooney gives Cristian Romero red card verdict as accusation fired at Liverpool starREAD MORE: Gary Lineker fumes at VAR controversy in Tottenham vs Liverpool – ‘I just can’t stand it’

Reports on Sunday hinted at a possible lower leg fracture for Isak, though the severity of the injury and the length of recovery time remain uncertain, pending further updates from the Merseyside club following scans.

The incident has sparked a debate, with pundits on Sky Sports’ Ref Watch having differing views on whether it was a red-card offence. Ex-pro Jay Bothroyd argued that while Van de Ven’s intention might not have been to injure Isak, the reckless nature of the tackle warranted a sending off.

“Van de Ven has not intentionally tried to hurt Isak,” he explained. “Obviously, he is desperate to stop a goal and he’s coming across to stop the shot.

“This is an example where, yes, Isak has scored, but it should still be a red card. He’s lunging, he’s going into him. Every explanation you want to give for a red-card challenge is there. Because he’s scored, they’ve let it go.

“He’s lunged, he’s out of control. He’s trying to make a block but he’s never going to get there. If that’s in the middle of the park, that’s a red card.”

However, former referee Dermot Gallagher disagreed, maintaining that the challenge was not a red-card offence and that the outcome of the tackle should not overshadow its nature.

“I can’t see that he’s done anything that a footballer wouldn’t,” he explained. “I would be astonished if that was given as a red card anywhere on the field.

“Players mistime challenges all the time. He’s slightly late… it’s not a red card. Whether it be in the penalty area, in the D, the centre circle or the other half.”

Where the two pundits found common ground, though, was in backing the official’s decision to send off Spurs star Xavi Simons for his tackle on Virgil van Dijk during the opening period. The Netherlands international launched into a dangerous challenge on his compatriot and skipper, making contact with the centre-back’s calf using his studs.

“I want to make clear that I don’t think Simons has any intention to do this, but he has done it,” Gallagher added on the Simons incident. “Once you see the replay, you can’t unsee it.

“When VAR sees that, in modern football, it is always going to be a red card. He’s unlucky, but he is always going to see red. You can’t make challenges like that anymore.”