Posted: 23:42, August 15, 2022 | Updated: 00:56, 16 August 2022
Gary Neville was stunned by Darwin Nunez’s red card during Liverpool’s 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace on Monday night after the Uruguayan forward was booked for a headbutt on Joachim Andersen.
Wilfried Zaha gave Palace the lead during the first half before Luis Diaz finally pulled Liverpool back late with a superb solo goal.
However, it was Nunez’s tussle with Andersen on his Anfield debut moments before Diaz’s equalizer that was the main talking point from the evening.
Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez was sent off for headbutting Joachim Andersen on Monday night.
It was a miserable end to Nunez’s Anfield debut as he was sent off before the hour mark
Neville admitted he could not defend Nunez’s actions and claimed the 23-year-old would be a big loss when Liverpool travel to Manchester United next week.
“The story tonight is Nunez, not just the first butt but to go again after. He’s gone for Andersen,” Neville told Monday Night Football.
“There was no history of anything like that at Benfica, he wasn’t sent off there. That’s the bullshit tonight. It will be a steep learning curve for him.
“It’s a crazy time, isn’t it? He is a fighter. It’s a right butt on the bottom of the nose — Andersen will feel that. Nunes will learn from this but Liverpool will miss him next week.
Neville was asked why Nunes might have lost his temper during the Andersen incident.
The former United defender was unable to elaborate but admitted he had been in a similar situation a few times during his playing days.
“We honestly don’t know why we are reacting. We have no idea why we do what we do, we just leave. Honestly, I kicked a ball at an Everton fan, I did the same to Steve McManaman. You [Jamie Carragher] he also did crazy things, threw a coin into the crowd,” added Neville.
Gary Neville described Nunez’s butt on Andersen as ‘moment of madness’
Jamie Carragher believes Nunez let his team-mates and fans down by sending himself off
Battles for the ball between forwards and defenders are a common occurrence in football, but Carragher was shocked that Nunez was not more discreet and instead chose to head Andersen right in front of the referee.
“I couldn’t believe he was complaining to the referee. Andersen doesn’t do anything – he’s just in a normal centre-back position.
“Look at Nunez, looking straight at the referee [beforehand] and complains. It’s not a foul [on Nunez]. I can’t believe he can think he’s going to get away with this. The referee was looking straight at it. couldn’t have had a better view.
He tries to claim that he has done nothing, trying to convince his teammates and the public. As he walks away, he realizes what he has done. He will be devastated in the dressing room: he has let his team down and the fans down,” Carragher said.
Liverpool managed to get back on level terms after Nunez was sent off, but were held to a second straight draw, leaving them four points behind leaders Manchester City after just two games.
