I'm going to try to put this in perspective:
- Pickford was out of control in the collision. It was definitely reckless. It's a clear yellow, and it's the sort of yellow where if the ref pulls a straight red he's well within his rights to rule that way on the grounds of excessive force. Pickford dodged a card of some stripe, by any reasoned assessment.
- This is decidedly different from the Son incident because of intent. Pickford was playing the ball. Son was retaliating. Son probably didn't intend serious injury, but it was what happened and he was deservedly punished for it.
- The Reds' demands for an inquest are ridiculous. The FA almost never acts retroactively, and it generally has to be a clear, straight red that is unsportsmanlike for them to do something. It should be no surprise to anyone that they let this pass.
- If the Reds' title chances are dead and buried, that's on Klopp for building that heavily around a single player. Durable as he has been, he's not the main character in Unbreakable.
- In that vein, I would not chance James at Anfield, healthy or not. It's not worth risking his safety for a relatively long shot at a point or three, and that's obviously who they would target if given the chance.
