Adam Lallana was sent off while playing for Liverpool's under-23s on Monday, but he will not be in line for a first-team suspension, a Premier League source told ESPN FC.
Lallana and Tottenham captain George Marsh, 19, collided while contesting for a ball in the air, and the Liverpool man took exception to the challenge.
The 29-year-old got to his feet and jumped his opponent from behind, putting his right hand around Marsh's neck while pushing the teenager's head down with his left.
He was led away by teammate Danny Ings after being shown a straight red card by the referee and headed down the tunnel in the 63rd minute of Liverpool's 1-0 defeat at the home of Stevenage FC.
Lallana vs spurs u23's pic.twitter.com/hl1w6Ril5u
— Wisdoms of Liverpool (@LFCwisdoms) February 5, 2018
FA rules specify that a suspension should be served in other under-23 games. After Jack Wilshere was sent off for shoving a Manchester City opponent in a reserves game in August, he was still eligible to play for Arsenal's first team, though he wasn't selected.
Lallana was playing with the reserve side as he continues his recovery from a groin injury that has caused him to miss Liverpool's past three matches.
He missed the opening months of the 2017-18 campaign with a thigh issue sustained in the preseason and has recently just recovered from a muscular injury.
On Monday, Lallana started for the under-23s in the Premier League 2 fixture along with Danny Ings, Dominic Solanke and Ben Woodburn.