Jon Flanagan will not be sacked by Liverpool despite being handed a 12-month community order for assaulting his girlfriend.
The 25-year-old defender returned to work on Thursday having spent Wednesday in Liverpool Magistrates Court.
He had pleaded guilty to an incident in the early hours of December 22, when he threw Rachel Wall into a wall and kicked her while she was on the ground.
Liverpool issued a strongly worded sentence immediately after the hearing and condemned the behaviour of Flanagan, who must also complete 15 rehabilitation activity days and 40 hours’ unpaid community work.