Crystal Palace paid Darwin Nunez the compliment of coming up with a new, aggressive gameplan to stop him. Little could they have guessed how easily Liverpool’s hyped-up £85million striker would fall into their trap.
Nunez, on his first Liverpool start, lasted just 57 frustrating minutes against Palace’s rugged back-five before the red mist descended to match his shirt.
Reacting to a shove in the back from Joachim Andersen, the 23-year-old Uruguayan stupidly leant forward to headbutt his foe on the jaw.
It wasn’t the kind of comparison to his compatriot Luis Suarez that he wanted on his first Liverpool appearance at Anfield and there was nothing referee Paul Tierney could do except send him for a walk of shame down the tunnel.