It was one malicious challenge.
The Merseyside derby was high on octane, and high on atmosphere, but low on quality on Monday evening before Sadio Mané popped up with a goal in injury time.
With Everton and Liverpool locked at a stalemate going towards the last 20 minutes of the game, with neither side producing any serious quality, Ross Barkley went in on his England team-mate Jordan Henderson with the filthiest of tackles.
Reaction was predictably one-sided (because it was a pretty bad tackle, let’s be clear).
That’s a fucking horrific tackle from Barkley. Only a yellow. 2nd derby running a vile tackle has gone in. Sick sick sick
— Paul Tomkins (@paul_tomkins) December 19, 2016
That's a straight red. Horrendous.
— James Pearce (@JamesPearceLFC) December 19, 2016
Barkley should be off for that
— Paul Little (@little_football) December 19, 2016
"That's a straight red – horrendous" says @JamesPearceEcho on Barkley's tackle on Henderson. Still #LFC 0-0 https://t.co/8tOeV10g6e
— Liverpool FC News (@LivEchoLFC) December 19, 2016
https://twitter.com/Woolberto/status/810959430540034048
Barkley's gone to injure Henderson there. Awful tackle. #EVELIV
— Paul Hosford (@PTHosford) December 19, 2016
Nothing in that Barkley tackle for me. Ankle was there to be won. #EVELIV
— Mark Farrelly (@MarkFarrelly131) December 19, 2016
When all of that had died down, Sadio Mané pounced on an effort from substitute Daniel Sturridge to give Liverpool a scarcely deserved win.
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