Liverpool Win Alexis Mac Allister Red Card Appeal

Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images

The midfielder will be available to face Newcastle after Liverpool successfully appeared his red card.

It’s possible that just about the only two people on the planet who truly thought Alexis Mac Allister’s red card against Bournemouth on Saturday was deserved were referee on the day Thomas Bramall and VAR official Paul Tierney.

Still, once the card had been handed out, few would have much expected Liverpool to be successful in appealing it. However, that is exactly what has happened with word today that the FA’s Independent Regulatory Commission has upheld the club’s appeal.

As a result, Mac Allister will not miss any further action and will be available to line up against Newcastle when Jürgen Klopp’s Reds take on Eddie Howe and Saudi Arabia sportswashing project Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon.

Mac Allister had been send off when both the Liverpool man and Bournemouth’s Ryan Christie raised their boots to shin level to contest a loose ball, with Mac Allister’s instep resultantly brushing Christie’s ankle with little force.

Even Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola said the incident “did not look like a red card” after the match, and eyebrows were raised by VAR not asking Bramall to have another look given Tierney’s rather acrimonious history with Klopp.

A referee misinterpreting such incident in real time might well be forgivable, but it is difficult to imagine any reasonable and benign rationale for VAR official Tierney then choosing to ignore the evidence of the replays it was his job to examine.