Stephen Warnock noticed what Virgil van Dijk did at Anfield straight after Amara Nallo red card…

Stephen Warnock observed what Virgil van Dijk did at Anfield immediately after Amara Nallo received a red card.

Amara Nallo made only his second competitive appearance for Liverpool this evening, but similar to his debut, it was once again very short-lived.

The 18-year-old spent just four minutes on the field when he came on against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League last January before being dismissed, and he faced a comparable situation on Wednesday as Crystal Palace eliminated the Reds from the Carabao Cup.

This time, he lasted a bit longer, being brought on in the 67th minute but receiving his marching orders in the 79th minute for a professional foul on Justin Devenny.

Van Dijk approached Nallo to offer consolation after the red card.

It was yet another setback for Nallo so early in his football career, and the Liverpool captain sought out the teenager to share some comforting words following the red card.

Stephen Warnock commented on BBC Radio 5 Live: “What a dreadful feeling for the young player, Amara Nallo. There is nothing worse than realizing you have been sent off on your debut. Then in the next match, you make a mistake that results in another sending off.

“I just saw Virgil van Dijk walking down the tunnel. You have to try to lift the young player up.”

Another learning experience for Nallo.

Nallo now holds the unfortunate record of having played 16 senior minutes for Liverpool and being sent off twice, in both cases for denying a goalscoring opportunity.

The red card tonight didn’t significantly change the outcome of the match – Palace were already leading 2-0 when the 18-year-old was sent off – but it will be a significant disappointment for the defender personally that his evening ended prematurely.

If Van Dijk indeed made a direct effort to console the teenager – as it seemed – it reflects positively on the Reds captain to extend support to a young player who has already faced a couple of challenging moments so early in his LFC journey.

For Nallo, the focus now lies in gaining insights from this experience and possessing the mental strength to bounce back from this setback.

Clearly, he is a skilled young footballer, having played for Liverpool’s first team, so it is hoped that his talent will emerge and he will swiftly move past this night.