slammed after ’s controversial defeat against Liverpool.
The Eagles looked on course for a morale-boosting victory when Jean-Philippe Mateta put the home side deservedly ahead from the penalty spot early in the second half.
The contest swung back in Liverpool’s favour 15 minutes from time, however, when Jordan Ayew was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence.
Mohamad Salah equalised almost instantly and it was no surprise when, in injury-time, Harvey Elliott sealed all three points with a thumping shot from the edge of the penalty area.
Hodgson, who is understood to be fighting to save his job, was left seething at the final whistle and had hardly calmed down by the time he was interviewed by TNT Sport after the game.
The former England boss reserved the majority of his ire for Van Dijk, who he claimed deliberately attempted to get Ayew his first booking by blasting the ball at him from close range.
‘He’s been on four yellow cards for three games he’s shown incredible discipline,’ said Hodgson.
‘Van Dijk took the opportunity to get him the first yellow card by kicking the ball against him from a few yards away. That’s very disappointing.
‘I think if you’re Liverpool Football Club you don’t need players of Van Dijk’s quality and status in the game to try and get a player a yellow card in a game by just kicking the ball against him.’
‘The second one I thought was a good challenge. Let’s say even if it’s deemed a foul which it could be, it wasn’t a yellow card.
‘The only yellow card offence from our side I would totally agree with was Joachim Andersen at the end gets frustrated and kicks the player that’s a yellow card.’
In a subsequent interview with beIN Sports, Hodgson took a further dig at Van Dijk, saying: ‘The one that bothers me most of all is the so-called timewasting with Van Dijk, who is a very experienced player – a player who has won everything in the game – took the opportunity to step forward and kicked the ball against him [Ayew].’
