Alisson Becker experienced a surprising moment of clarity while watching Lucas Paqueta’s moment of madness during Liverpool’s victory over West Ham.
Alexander Isak eventually broke the deadlock with a confident finish from Cody Gakpo’s pass. The Reds held on for their first win in almost a month, with Gakpo sealing it in stoppage time. Paqueta, making his return from suspension, lost his composure after a foul was awarded against Niclas Fullkrug for barging Dominik Szoboszlai to the ground.
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He received a yellow card for his furious protests toward referee Darren England, as frustration also grew among home fans while Milos Kerkez received treatment nearby.
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Despite repeated attempts from his West Ham teammates to pull him away, Paqueta continued arguing.
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Alisson stepped in to help restrain his international teammate and was seen telling Paqueta to calm down
His outburst lasted so long that England had little choice but to issue a second yellow less than two minutes after the first, leaving the midfielder sent off for dissent.
A livid Paqueta sarcastically applauded the referee as he made his way off the pitch, before continuing his protestations with the fourth official, as a glum Nuno Espirito Santo watched on from the sidelines.
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Liverpool was already leading at that stage, but any slim hopes of a West Ham comeback ended when Paqueta, one of the brighter performers for Espirito Santo’s side, was given his marching orders.
The 28-year-old spoke out on X following the game, saying: “It’s ridiculous to have your life and career affected for two years without any psychological support from the federation.
“Perhaps this ridiculous behavior is just a reflection of everything I’ve had to endure and, it seems, have to continue enduring! I’m sorry if I’m not perfect.”
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Paqueta was cleared of spot-fixing charges by an independent regulatory commission in July, nearly two years after the Football Association (FA) first launched an investigation.
The inquiry began in August 2023, with the Brazilian midfielder, now 28, charged in May of the previous year for allegedly receiving bookings deliberately “for the improper purpose of affecting the betting market.”
He faced the possibility of a lifetime ban if found guilty. However, after a hearing, the commission ruled that all four charges against him were “not proven.”
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The charges concerned four Premier League matches: Leicester City on 12 November 2022, Aston Villa on 12 March 2023, Leeds United on 21 May 2023, and Bournemouth on 12 August 2023.
