The first half of Liverpool’s Premier League clash with Chelsea at Anfield on Saturday evening ended frantically with a sending off, a Reds penalty and even a heated exchange between the two sides.
The Londoners led through Kai Havertz’s opener on 22 minutes but defender Reece James was shown red having handled the ball after Sadio Mane raced in to poke it goalwards.
Referee Anthony Taylor consulted with the VAR screen before awarding Liverpool a penalty - and giving James his marching orders.
Mohamed Salah stepped up to fire the spot-kick home but it was seemingly Edouard Mendy’s reaction to the being beaten which saw the game boil over.
Obviously irked at conceding, the Senegal international jumped up after diving the wrong way and booted the ball away in frustration.
However, as he swung his foot, Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson had burst forward to follow up Salah’s kick.
And so Mendy, it appears inadvertently, ended up firing the ball towards the Reds midfielder.
Jurgen Klopp’s men were quick to rally around their skipper causing the two teams to become embroiled in a coming together in the six-yard box.
After the players separated, referee Anthony Taylor booked Mendy for his reaction.
And the official was still being hassled by irate Chelsea players as the two teams went in for the break.
The half-time whistle perhaps came at the right time for the visitors, with Thomas Tuchel’s team reacting badly to the penalty and red card decisions.
