Luis Diaz rescues point for 10-man Liverpool after Darwin Nunez sees red

Striker Darwin Nunez lost his head but fellow South American Luis Diaz ensured 10-man Liverpool did not lose their long unbeaten home record with a brilliant equaliser to secure a 1-1 Premier League draw with Crystal Palace.

Anfield is no stranger to fiery Uruguayans after the highs and lows of Luis Suarez for three-and-a-half years, but the recklessness of their summer signing’s weak headbutt on Joachim Andersen beggared belief.

Frustration had been growing after Liverpool fell behind to Wilfried Zaha’s 32nd-minute goal against the run of play.

But the way Nunez, 23, reacted to being provoked by the Palace centre-back was naive at best and idiotic at worst.

The fact that his act of self-destruction was rescued by Diaz, who beat at least five players in shimmying his way into position to unleash a 25-metre shot past Victor Guaita, will be of no consolation.

Nunez is Jurgen Klopp’s only fit striker, with Diogo Jota nursing a thigh injury and Roberto Firmino missing the game as a precaution.

His resulting three-match ban, with arch-rivals Manchester United next up in a week, is likely to be costly.

Klopp’s side already trail leaders Manchester City by four points and with the margin for error in the title race so tight, they cannot afford many more nights like this.

Nunez’s arrival from Benfica for a potential club-record £85 million ($102.4m) fee was supposed to be the antidote for games like this, when teams sit deep, pack the area around their box and look to hit on the break.

But the Uruguayan, admittedly still getting used to his new teammates after just two competitive outings, fluffed his lines in only the ninth minute when he ballooned over at the far post after Harvey Elliott danced through the defence only to see