Rio Ferdinand claims Liverpool were ‘LUCKY’ to escape a red card in their Merseyside derby win after Ibrahima Konate’s foul… with pundit insisting hosts didn’t ‘play particularly well’

• Liverpool beat Merseyside rivals Everton to move top of the Premier League 
• Ibrahima Konate was fortunate to escape a red card after hauling back Beto 
• Listen to the latest episode of Mail Sport’s podcast ‘It’s All Kicking Off!’ 

Rio Ferdinand insisted Liverpool were lucky to avoid a red card in their Merseyside derby victory against Everton after Ibrahima Konate’s rash pull.

A late double from Mohamed Salah, the first coming from the penalty spot, sent the hosts top of the Premier League table, but not before controversy had struck.

Sean Dyche’s side were reduced to ten men following Ashley Young’s first-half dismissal and the Reds were seemingly fortunate to avoid a sending-off of their own.

With Konate already on a caution, the centre back brought an early halt to a counter-attack after fouling Beto, sending the forward crashing down to the ground.

Everton players quickly surrounded referee Craig Pawson while a furious Dyche vehemently appealed in his technical area, only for their shouts to be waved away.

Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate was fortunate to escape a red card against Everton

The centre back (left) fouled Beto but was not sent off despite already being on a caution

Toffees manager Sean Dyche was furious in his technical area and baffled by the decision

Almost immediately, Konate was then hooked. 

‘I thought they were the better team but I still think they’ve been lucky in terms of decisions with Konate,’ Ferdinand said post-match on TNT Sports. ‘He escaped getting a second yellow card and I thought they were very fortunate in that sense. 

‘I don’t think Liverpool played particularly well today, I wouldn’t say [Jordan] Pickford had a lot of saves to make.

‘This wasn’t a performance from Liverpool where you go “wow this looks like a team firing on all cylinders”.’

The pundit then added: ‘I completely understand why he [Dyche] would be frustrated and why he would be shouting, voicing his opinion in that situation because the game is being managed by the referee in a certain way. 

‘You want that consistency to transfer and carry through and for me in that situation it hasn’t. I’m definitely on the side of the Everton team in terms of the game changing in that moment.’

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