Liverpool 'lucky' as £85m star escapes Carabao Cup final v Newcastle United ban

Chris Sutton believes Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez was fortunate to avoid a red card against Southampton on Saturday.

Trailing 1-0 through Will Smallbone’s opener, Nunez - who joined the Reds from Benfica in 2022 for £85million - deliberately swiped at the legs of Kyle Walker-Peters in frustration and as a result was shown a yellow card by referee Lewis Smith.

The Uruguayan went on to score the equaliser in the 51st minute before winning the penalty that Mohammed Salah converted to make it 2-1. But former Blackburn Rovers and Celtic striker Sutton believes Nunez was lucky to still be on the pitch.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, Sutton said: “It was such a reckless, daft challenge. Liverpool lucky to have 11 on the pitch.”

Darwin Nunez escapes Carabao Cup final ban

VAR reviewed the incident but opted to stick with the on-field decision.

Had the 25-year-old received a red card then he would been suspended for the next three domestic matches, therefore missing next Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Newcastle United.

Explaining why Nunez potentially stayed on the pitch, former Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart told Match of the Day: "We see on the replay that he's missed the ball. Luckily, he's also missed the player because that could have been a terrible, terrible incident at the end of the first half - 1-0 down and losing a player.”

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With Salah, Jota, Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz to select from in attack, losing Nunez might not have been viewed as a major blow to most. However, Newcastle still have crashing memories of what the former Benfica man did at St James’ Park last season.

Newcastle were leading 1-0 against Liverpool, who played the majority of the match with 10 men following Virgil van Dijk’s red card, until Nunez came off the bench and scored a brace inside the remaining 10 minutes to secure a shock win.

Next up for Liverpool and Newcastle United

Before the cup final, Newcastle, who will be without Anthony Gordon (suspended), Lewis Hall (ankle) and Sven Botman (knee), travel to West Ham United in the Premier League on Monday.

Meanwhile, Liverpool host Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday in the second leg second-leg of their Champions League last 16 tie. Arne Slot’s side lead 1-0 from the first leg following Harvey Elliott’s late goal.

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