Adam Lallana has had a terrible year. The Liverpool midfielder missed the first four months of the season with an injury, and has since experienced setback after setback. He got to take the field with the Liverpool U-23 squad today, an appearance which came to a fitting and abrupt end, when he was sent off in the 63rd minute for trying to squeeze 19-year-old Tottenham U-23 captain George Marsh’s head off of his shoulders.
ESPN reports that Lallana will not face a Premier League ban for the attempted submission, though he could be banned from future U-23 games. Perhaps this is just a plan to keep himself ineligible for the kids’ team and fast-track his return to the first team.