Lucas Paqueta was not sent off in the first half of Liverpool's Premier League clash with West Ham United - as his challenge on Alexis Mac Allister wasn't considered to have excessive force.

The Brazilian was penalised by referee Anthony Taylor for a foul on Mac Allister in the sixth minute of Saturday's match at the London Stadium as he caught the Argentine with a studs-up tackle. However, Taylor decided not to book the midfielder.

The ECHO understands that Paqueta wasn't shown a red card because the challenge came from a short distance and wasn't considered to have excessive force.

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The challenge was checked by VAR officials Tim Robinson and Wade Smith at Stockley Park, but no intervention was deemed necessary as the original call from Taylor wasn't considered a 'clear and obvious error'.

Speaking on TNT Sports' coverage of the game, Peter Crouch admitted he was surprised Paqueta wasn't sent off. He said: "I'm not for getting players sent off and you get sent off for far less. That feels like a dangerous, reckless tackle to me."

On West Ham's opening goal against the Reds, Crouch added: "It was so disappointing. It was just a quick set-piece and they were caught by surprise. They have just got to get back in quicker for me.

"If you look at Bowen, he’s not someone you would associate with scoring a header. From a West Ham point of view, fantastic, they’ve taken it quickly. When you look at it, Gakpo is walking and you look at Trent, he’s looking the wrong way.

"No one goes to attack the ball. You look at Gakpo, he’s turning his back. He’s turned his back on the ball and it’s so disappointing from a Liverpool perspective, especially after the Everton game when set-pieces were so pivotal in the game. To concede another one like that, it’s so sloppy. "