Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez lost his head and was shown a red card for headbutting Crystal Palace centre-back Joachim Andersen on his home Premier League debut for the Reds.
The Uruguayan striker, 23, was grabbed by Palace defender Andersen and reacted by headbutting the Dane, giving referee Paul Tierney little choice but to brandish a straight red card for his recklessness in the 57th minute. Andersen was floored by the headbutt.
Frustration had been growing having gone behind to Wilfried Zaha's 32nd-minute goal against the run of play, but Nunez's reaction to being provoked beggared belief. The dismissal will see Nunez suspended for next Monday's trip to Old Trafford.
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Nunez, who arrived on Merseyside from Benfica this summer for a potential club-record £85million fee, becomes only the second Liverpool player to be shown a red card on his home Premier League debut for the club, after Joe Cole (v Arsenal in August 2010).
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said post-match: "I will talk to him. It's absolutely not the reaction we want to see."
Nunez had made a good start to life in the Premier League after scoring on his debut against Fulham on the opening weekend, which earned him a starting berth in his first match at Anfield. Liverpool's home ground is, of course, no stranger to fiery Uruguayans after witnessing the highs and lows of Luis Suarez for three-and-a-half years.
Klopp furiously waved for Nunez to get off the pitch as he and assistant Pep Lijnders quickly reorganised with Salah playing through the middle on his own. It was fellow South American Luis Diaz who ensured 10-man Liverpool did not lose their long unbeaten home record with a brilliant equaliser to secure a 1-1 Premier League draw with Crystal Palace. Diaz beat at least five players in shimmying his way into position to unleash a 25-yard shot past Victor Guaita just four minutes after the red card.
Nunez is currently Jurgen Klopp's only fit striker, with Diogo Jota nursing a thigh injury and Roberto Firmino missing the game as a precaution, and his resulting three-match ban - with arch-rivals Manchester United next up in a week's time - is likely to be costly.
Klopp's side already trail leaders Manchester City by four points and with the margin for error in the title race so tight, they cannot afford many more nights like this.
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