Saturday night was nearly perfect for Liverpool — they earned a comfortable victory, kept a clean sheet, and produced one of their best performances in weeks.
Mohamed Salah reached another milestone with his 250th goal for the club, while Ryan Gravenberch added a second-half strike to seal Liverpool’s first domestic win in six weeks. The result lifted Arne Slot’s side to third place in the Premier League table, giving supporters a well-deserved reason to celebrate.
However, one incident overshadowed the evening slightly — a moment involving Aston Villa’s Amadou Onana and Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister.
During a corner in the 73rd minute, tensions flared inside the Liverpool penalty area. Cameras caught Onana grabbing Mac Allister by the neck, forcing the Argentine to the ground. Referee Stuart Attwell issued the Belgian midfielder a yellow card, though many felt the challenge warranted a red.
While few would wish to see unnecessary dismissals, Onana could count himself fortunate to stay on the pitch. Grabbing an opponent above the shoulders is always risky, and even if Mac Allister’s reaction appeared exaggerated, the contact was clear.
Adding to the frustration, both Dominik Szoboszlai and Aston Villa manager Unai Emery received yellow cards minutes later for a minor disagreement near the touchline — a decision that seemed inconsistent compared to Onana’s treatment.
Ultimately, the controversy did not affect the final result, as Liverpool held firm to secure three crucial points and end their difficult run of form.
Video footage of the incident, shared by @LiverpoolZNE on X, shows Onana clearly grabbing Mac Allister by the neck — leaving many fans wondering how the Aston Villa player escaped a red card
