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Oliver Skipp receives an apology from Diogo Jota after the headbutt.
Liverpool forward Diogo Jota has revealed he apologised to Tottenham midfielder Oliver Skipp after the Spurs player was struck in the head during Sunday’s 4-3 victory.
When Jota’s high boot made contact with Skipp’s head and the midfielder had to leave the game with a nasty cut, Spurs fans were outraged. Their rage increased when Jota went on to score the most recent winner while most fans thought he shouldn’t have been on the field in the first place.
Jota admitted he apologized to Skipp immediately following the game, but he claimed he supported the official’s choice to withhold a red card.
“It was not good, obviously it’s not my intention to cause any harm to him,” Jota told Premier League Productions. “But unfortunately, it happened.
“I asked him ‘sorry’, that’s all I could do after that bad tackle but I also think it’s not a red because I touched the ball and there was no intention to cause him any harm.”
Despite Jota’s conviction, interim Spurs manager Ryan Mason was astounded that Jota escaped further consequences for the incident.
“It’s one of the clearest red cards I’ve seen, it’s difficult to take,” Mason told Sky Sports. “It’s an impossible one to miss.
“When you talk about endangering an opponent, to draw blood from a stud when Skipp’s head is five-and-a-half feet in the air baffles me. That type of decision is maybe the difference between winning the game or not.
“It’s tough to understand and I would like an explanation. I saw the incident in real time and you have a feel for those sort of moments. The VAR official has the benefit of a replay.”
Mason continued: “I would like an explanation and a reason why it wasn’t [a red card]. I can understand referees and officials on the pitch missing it even though my feeling was an instant red card because when your foot is studs showing and you’re five-and-a-half feet off the ground and make contact with a player’s head and draw blood, and there is a gash, I think it ticks all the boxes.
“Probably more so an experienced referee in the VAR room, you want him to help the official on the pitch in that moment. Listen, it’s decided the game because that player on the pitch shouldn’t have been on there at the end. I’m pretty sure most football people’s opinions will probably feel the same.”