Graeme Souness and Roy Keane agree over controversial Liverpool vs Man Utd moment

Graeme Souness believes that Naby Keita was ‘very lucky’ not to receive a red card during Liverpool’s 4-0 thrashing of Manchester United.

The Reds were dominant from start to finish at Anfield on Tuesday evening.

Background

They put their fierce rivals to the sword as Jurgen Klopp’s men delivered an 11th Premier League win in 12 games to go top of the table.

Manchester City play their game in hand against Brighton tonight.

Luis Diaz opened the scoring within five minutes before a Mohamed Salah brace and a tidy finish from Sadio Mane wrapped up a barnstorming win.

But in an otherwise perfect night for Liverpool, Keita - who came on as a late substitute for Thiago Alcantara - was embroiled in a moment of controversy following a late challenge on United’s Jesse Lingard.

The Guinea international escaped a sending off - which would have resulted in a three-game suspension for serious foul play.

And former Liverpool midfielder Souness reckons Keita deserved more than just a yellow card.

“It’s a red card all day, Keita has got very lucky,” Souness told Sky Sports.

“Liverpool have got very lucky, it is a sending off. But it wouldn’t have affected the scoreline. He gets away with that.”

Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane agreed.

He said: “But he would have had a suspension which the club wouldn’t have wanted and the game is over.

“That’s a red card.”

City may feel aggrieved

With the challenge occuring in the 85th minute and Liverpool having already secured three points, a red card would have had no effect on the result whatsoever.

Yet had Keita received his marching orders, it would have been to the Reds’ frustration.

The former RB Leipzig man would have been banned for this Sunday’s Merseyside Derby against Everton, as well as games against Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur.

Luckily for the 27-year-old, however, VAR decided not to intervene after referee Martin Atkinson brandished a yellow card.

Certainly, Man City may feel aggrieved Keita was not sent off.

In a Premier League title race that’s set to go down to the wire, every minor advantage could be crucial.