“Unfortunately, it happened” - Liverpool attacker apologizes for kicking Tottenham’s Oliver Skipp in the face
Liverpool forward Diogo Jota has revealed that he has personally apologized to Tottenham Hotspur's Oliver Skipp for accidentally kicking the English midfielder in the face during their Premier League clash on Sunday, April 30. The Portugal international escaped a red card and went on to score a late winner in a thrilling 4-3 victory for the Reds at Anfield.
Liverpool came flying off the blocks, taking a 3-0 lead within the first 15 minutes. Curtis Jones and Luis Diaz scored the first two before Mohamed Salah dispatched a penalty to pile further misery on the visitors.
Tottenham clawed their way back into the game, recovering to 3-2 by the 81st minute when chaos ensued. Diogo Jota, who came on as a second-half substitute, ended up making contact with Oliver Skipp's head after an accidental high boot. The challenge drew blood and the latter was forced off the field. Much to the fury of Spurs interim manager Ryan Mason, Jota escaped with a yellow card.
Richarlison leveled the scores in the 93rd minute. However, a minute later, Diogo Jota secured all three points for Liverpool after a Lucas Moura error enabled him to shoot past a helpless Fraser Forster.
The Portuguese revealed he apologize to Skipp for the challenge but agreed with referee Paul Tierney's decision. He spoke to Premier League Productions after the game and said (via 90min):
“It was not good, obviously it’s not my intention to cause any harm to him. 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.”
The Reds' victory ensured they leapfrogged Tottenham to fifth in the Premier League with 56 points, seven behind fourth-placed Manchester United.
Diogo Jota admits winner against Tottenham was one of his best moments as a Liverpool player
Diogo Jota admitted that the crowd's reaction at Anfield after he scored the winner against Spurs was one of his best moments as a Liverpool player.
The 26-year-old signed for the Reds in the summer of 2020 from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a reported fee of £41 million. Since his debut, he has been solid for Jurgen Klopp, scoring 39 goals in 108 appearances.
However, for a lot of his goals in the 2020-21 season, Jota didn't have the Anfield crowd to support him due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This played a part in his answer when asked if his winner against Tottenham was his best moment yet. He said (via Liverpool FC):
"Yeah, for sure. In my first season I scored a few winners as well late but there was no crowd and everybody was telling me, ‘You should see it if this was full!’, the feeling, and I could feel that tonight. It was something special that I will remember forever."
Diogo Jota's 2022-23 season has been overshadowed by a long-term calf injury, which has limited him to just 23 appearances in all competitions. He has scored five goals and provided eight assists so far this season.