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Axel Disasi of Aston Villa in action with Alexis Mac Allister of Liverpool(Image: Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)

As the dust settles on Liverpool's breathless 2-2 Premier League draw at Aston Villa, both teams may come to accept that it was a fair result.

But the Reds may also wonder what would have happened if their opponents had been reduced to 10 men.

The relentless Mohamed Salah opened the scoring and then set up Trent Alexander-Arnold to equalise after goals just before the break from Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins had put Villa in front.

But by that stage the hosts could well have lost defender Axel Disasi to a red card.

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Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister was in the wars before the break - not least when he was caught in the face by the Villa centre-back in the 23rd minute.

Disasi was subsequently booked by referee Craig Pawson but many Reds supporters online felt the on-loan Chelsea man should have been giving his marching orders.

And that's a stance shared by former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett, who believes Pawson was far too 'lenient'.

Hackett told Football Insider: “I really don’t get it.

If you strike, or attempt to strike an opponent, as Disasi did against Mac Allister, then that is a red card offence.

“There was clearly force, Mac Allister went to ground pretty quickly, so where was VAR?

Because Craig Pawson, I’m sorry, you got that decision wrong.

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“You were too lenient, that player should have walked.”

The draw moved leaders Liverpool eight points clear of second-placed Arsenal, whose game in hand comes at home to West Ham United on Saturday.

The Reds then make their way to the Etihad Stadium on Sunday for a massive match with faltering defending champions Manchester City, who find themselves in fourth and 17 points off the pacesetters.


For more news relating to Arsenal, visit our sister site AFC Latest Live.