Horror tackle mars Liverpool loss to Sevilla

Tim Bradbury/Getty Images

---

Jurgen Klopp's fury at Sevilla's dangerous play raised the temperature on a sweltering day in Boston as Liverpool's young left-back Yasser Larouci was stretchered off in a 2-1 pre-season loss at Fenway Park.

On the hottest day in the city since 1991, the Spaniards seemed to completely ignore the friendly billing of the test and a sending off seemed inevitable.

- Man City vs. Liverpool: When is the Community Shield?

- Liverpool vs. Chelsea: When is the UEFA Super Cup?

- When are Liverpool in the FIFA Club World Cup?

That materialised on 76 minutes when Joris Gnagnon produced a vicious kick on the 18-year-old defender before protesting his red card.

Larouci, who was having an impressive game and had kept Jadon Sancho quiet in the 3-2 defeat against Borussia Dortmund, needed extended treatment and had to be stretchered off.

"[It's] much too early in the season to create headlines with saying the things I think about the situation," said Klopp at his post-match press conference about the tackle. "It looks like he was lucky but, of course, how it always is with these things we have to wait a little bit. He couldn't keep on playing, so that's the first not-so-good sign but in the dressing room it was okay."

Ever Banega was booked on 12 minutes for clattering into Harry Wilson, whom he later elbowed. Diego Carlos went flying in on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

The Reds boss had words with Sevilla's coaching staff at half-time, but his pleas for a cleaner game went ignored.

It will be the tackles that live long in the memory from the encounter rather than the goals.

Julen Lopetegui's men took the lead at the home of the Red Sox courtesy of a scorcher from Nolito; his first-time finish sweeping past veteran goalkeeper Andy Lonergan on 37 minutes.

Divock Origi equalised just before the half was up after Trent Alexander-Arnold's corner was kept alive by Nat Philips and deflected into his path.

Sevilla won it late on through Alejandro Pozo, who was picked out by an Munir El Haddadi square pass and rounded Simon Mignolet before finishing.