Crooks, 65, has been publishing his weekly team for the BBC for years and often he has come under fire.
For example, he famously once selected Liverpool’s Joel Matip in his line-up in 2020 following a 2-1 victory over Tottenham – but Matip wasn’t even in Jurgen Klopp’s squad for that particular game. And while this time he has chosen two players in Van Dijk and Salah – who were in fine form against Everton – he’s spent the majority of his reasoning behind picking them directing anger at the referee, Luis Diaz’s supposed play-acting and complaining about Ibrahim Konate’s challenge that he escaped a second yellow card for. His full descriptions were as follows:
‘Virgil van Dijk – Was Everton’s Ashley Young’s sending off for a second bookable offence really necessary? If it was then Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate had to go. Young’s tackle was a genuine one to try and win the ball. Konate’s challenge on Beto was cynical and crude and what the yellow card was designed for but the Liverpool defender didn’t receive one for the challenge in question. Fortunately for Liverpool they have Virgil Van Dijk in defence who is slowly coming back to some kind of form.’
‘Mohamed Salah – Referee Craig Pawson’s inability to show some discretion in the Merseyside derby exposed him once he failed to exercise any consistency. Neither was it helped by Luiz Diaz who rolled over at least five times for dramatic effect after Young had fouled him. Meanwhile Mo Salah is back to his brilliant, unselfish and supportive best and has erased the sort of antics now effecting Luiz Diaz. It’s time Salah had a word with Diaz.’
BBC Sport pundit Garth Crooks is currently doing the rounds on social media for his obscure descriptions of both Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah after including them in his Team of the Week.
