Former Dermot Gallagher has claimed that Tyrone Mings should have been sent off against Liverpool following his shocking challenge on Cody Gakpo.

What's the latest on Liverpool, Villa and VAR?

The Reds took on Aston Villa this weekend in the Premier League but had to settle for just a draw.

Jacob Ramsey opened the scoring with a fine volley before Roberto Firmino equalised late on in what was his final game at Anfield.

As a result of the dropped points, Liverpool look almost certain to miss out on Champions League qualification and this will be hard news to take as it seems they weren't helped by the officiating on the day.

Indeed, Jurgen Klopp will feel as though they should have been playing against ten men for a large part of the game when Mings planted his studs into the chest of Gakpo but only received a yellow card.

Talking about the incident on Sky Sports Ref Watch (via Football Daily) Gallagher insisted it was a red card.

He said: “I think it’s a red card there. He is face to face, he brings his boot up after he's played the ball. So for me, there, I think red card."

He was then asked if referee John Brooks even needed to go to VAR, he replied: “Well, the referee retains all options until he restarts [play]. So the referee could red card [Mings without VAR] himself."

He continued: “The referee can change his mind. He could take advice from the assistants, the fourth official. He can ask VAR, have I seen this correctly?

"Because he can say to the VAR, I've seen this, I think he's hit him there. And then the VAR could say: Well, he hasn't actually, he’s hit him there. So you might want to go and have a look at the screen."

Did Mings deserve a red card for his foul on Gakpo?

At the time, Klopp actually didn't make too much off the incident as he didn't seem to see it clearly live.

Indeed, he told the press (via Liverpoolfcnews): "I didn't see it back. Was it a red card from your point of view?"

But journalist James Pearce certainly noticed the error in the moment, writing on Twitter: "Mings very lucky that his challenge on Gakpo isn't upgraded from a yellow to a red by VAR. Caught Gakpo in the chest with his studs."

Before adding: "Can't believe Brooks wasn't advised to look at the monitor."

Incidentally, rules expert for ESPN Dale Johnson explained in his column that "there tends to be much greater leniency when it comes to high boots" and that VAR wouldn't intervene as the referee had come to his own decision having seen the stud marks immediately after the foul.

By the sounds of it, then, referee Brooks should have reached for the red without needing the help of any technology.