Liverpool FC captain Virgil van Dijk was quick to console young centre-back Amara Naro after he was shown a red card in the Carabao Cup defeat to Crystal Palace. Naro came on in the second half of the match against Oliver Glasner’s side, but was promptly sent off for a foul on Justin Devenney as the Northern Ireland midfielder attempted to break for goal. Ismaila Sarr had already scored twice for Crystal Palace, but Spanish winger Yeremy Pino added a third in the second half.
Naro, brought on when Liverpool were already at a disadvantage, was given his marching orders for the second game in a row. He appeared in two matches at senior level for the Reds, but failed to complete either match. Earlier this year, Naro was given his marching orders for a similar attack against PSV in the Champions League, but that time lasted just four minutes. In both cases, he did not have to make a tackle, but made a mistake and then panicked.
Naro stumbled off the pitch after referee Craig Pawson told him he had no choice. Van Dijk, who was watching from behind the bench, followed him down the tunnel unnoticed by the Sky Sports cameras at Anfield.
“What a horrible feeling for a young man,” former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock said while commentating on the match on BBC Radio 5 Live.
“There’s nothing worse than knowing you’ve been sent off on your debut, then in the next game you make an error that leads to another sending off.
“I just saw Virgil van Dijk walking down the tunnel. I have to try and pick up the young man.”
Naro has shown promise at Liverpool’s youth level, but has yet to replicate this success in top-flight competition. He may get another chance in the early rounds of the FA Cup in the new year.
Arne Slott defended his team selection, saying the injuries made the team look weaker than usual. In addition to the green starters, he was missing a veteran star among the substitutes.
“I looked at Manchester City’s 11 starters, none of them were starters from the weekend, but I felt they were the best team,” he explained.
“That’s a bit of an insight. Chelsea can bring in Estevao. After I substituted two players tonight, we had six teenagers in the team.”
However, Slott hinted that his squad could be strengthened this weekend by the return of at least one experienced player from injury.
“Ryan (Grafenberch) has a good chance (to return at the weekend),” the Dutchman admitted after the match. “Others, let’s wait and see.”
