The Premier League have hinted at how long Virgil van Dijk will be suspended for after his red card for Liverpool against Newcastle on Sunday.
The Dutchman was shown a straight red card by referee John Brooks in the first half of the clash at St James' Park, after bringing down Alexander Isak outside the area.
Van Dijk was adjudged to have denied a goalscoring opportunity by going through the Sweden international to tackle the ball.
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The 32-year-old was furious with the decision, and even more so when VAR decided not to overturn it.
He directed his ire towards referee Brooks, and continued his protests further as he left the field of play and returned to the Liverpool bench.
Things got so heated that Van Dijk had to be calmed down by manager Jurgen Klopp, who himself appeared stunned at the initial decision.
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Given his dissent towards the official, the possibility has been raised that the Dutchman could be handed a larger ban - and the Premier League has now hinted at how long he will miss.
Premier League 'confirms' Van Dijk ban
The standard punishment for a straight red card for a denial of a clear goalscoring opportunity in the Premier League is one match.
This can be increased, in the case of violent conduct or dangerous tackles, to three matches or more. Meanwhile, a red card and subsequent dissent can lead to a two-match ban.
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However, according to the Premier League's official Fantasy Premier League website, Van Dijk is listed as being suspended until September 16.
While that date is nearly three weeks away, there is an international break in between, with the Reds hosting Aston Villa at Anfield on Sunday.
Van Dijk will definitely miss that game due to a ban, with the stated date indicating that the 32-year-old will miss just one match and return for Liverpool's trip to Wolves on September 16.
Whether there is a decision made at a later date to extend that ban remains to be seen, but for now, Liverpool can plan for their star centre-back to make his return next month.
Featured Image Credit: GettyTopics: Liverpool, Virgil Van Dijk, Premier League, Newcastle United, Jurgen Klopp