Liverpool suffered only a third defeat of the season on Wednesday as they lost 3-2 against PSV Eindhoven.
It was always likely to be a tricky night for the Reds, with many of the first-team left at home for the occasion.
Having already qualified for the Champions League last-16, Arne Slot chose to give some of Liverpool’s promising young players a chance instead.
Initially, this looked like being a good decision, with the Reds twice taking the lead against the Dutch champions. However, things unravelled at the end of the first-half, as PSV hit the front.
Although there was no further damage inflicted in the second period, the night was given an unfortunate ending as Liverpool academy defender Amara Nallo was sent off just minutes into his professional debut.
It was a desperate moment for Nallo, but, as expected, his teammates have rallied around him after the game.
James McConnell backs Amara Nallo response
Although you can understand why the referee gave Nallo his marching orders, it still seemed harsh.
The challenge on Johan Bakayoko was a poor one, but there is an argument that Jarell Quansah was in a position to cover for the 18-year-old, meaning he was not quite the last man.
Either way, it was a huge disappointment for Nallo and a genuinely upsetting way to mark what should have been a proud day for him.
According to James McConnell, though, the youngster will ‘learn loads’ from the experience. Asked by LFCTV how Nallo had reacted to a ‘nightmare’ debut, McConnell insisted that there were positives to take.
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“I wouldn’t say a nightmare, he’s a top young defender, he’s going to learn from it loads,” said the 20-year-old.
“He’ll have many more experiences like this. Obviously his head’s a bit down but it’s part of the game in the end. He took one for the team and obviously got sent off.”
Arne Slot weighs in on Amara Nallo red card
If McConnell’s words on Nallo were encouraging – and surprisingly mature – then Slot’s were a little less so.
The Liverpool head coach is a straight talker and in his short time at Anfield he has shown that he has little interest in sentimentality. This was on show again when Slot was asked about Nallo after the game.
“Yeah, it’s cruel,” he said. “He has never played first-team football yet and then to make your debut at Champions League level is probably the hardest way of making your debut. I think he misinterpreted the situation and that is immediately a problem at this level or at Premier League level.”
“So, it’s a big moment for him to learn from. It is cruel, indeed. You think in a moment like this, 10 minutes before the end, ‘Phwoar, I’m going to make my debut in the Champions League’ and a few minutes later you go off with a red card. That is always difficult.
“But a career mainly is not always positive, there are also negatives and he has to fight very hard to make sure he will ever play a second Champions League game again,” added Slot. “Which is not going to be easy but hopefully he will.”
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