Virgil van Dijk was praised for his caring reaction to Amara Nallo’s second red card as a Liverpool player.
Teenage defender Nallo has been sent off in both of his senior appearances for Liverpool, including on Wednesday night in the Carabao Cup defeat to Crystal Palace.
Nallo, 18, made his senior debut for Arne Slot’s side in January in a Champions League defeat to PSV Eindhoven — but received a red card, four minutes after coming off the bench.
It means Nallo has received two red cards in a total of 16 minutes of senior professional experience.
He came on as a substitute in the 67th minute of Liverpool’s defeat to Palace, but lasted until only the 79th minute when he was given his marching orders after fouling Justin Devenny, who was through on goal.
Nallo was consoled by Van Dijk, who was one of several key players that Slot rested on Wednesday.
“I didn’t need to say that much,” Slot reacted to Nallo’s latest setback.
“Virgil immediately went inside to speak to him, to talk to him.
“That tells me they are great human beings. In a moment like this — when a young player, for the second time, is sent off — they felt how difficult the moment was. They [went] inside to be supporting for him.
“It wasn’t needed that I [had to] take care of him. They already took care of him.”
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Nallo came through the academy at West Ham but joined Liverpool two years ago.
The inclusion of inexperienced youngsters in Liverpool’s Carabao Cup squad was criticised as “a mistake” by Jamie Redknapp.
Slot justified his decision-making by insisting he wanted to avoid injuries to important players like Van Dijk or Alexander Isak.
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