Mbeumo's early goal at Anfield fuels head injury protocol debate

Manchester United took a shock lead at Anfield inside two minutes on Saturday after Bryan Mbeumo finished a swift counterattack while Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister lay on the pitch nursing a head injury, drawing immediate protests from the home side and raising fresh questions about how head injuries are handled in the Premier League.

Mbeumo was slipped through on goal and struck past Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili shortly after kick-off. Television replays showed Mac Allister had been knocked to the ground after a challenge for a high ball in which teammate Virgil van Dijk appeared to make contact with the back of Mac Allister's head. Mac Allister remained on the turf clutching his head as play continued and United celebrated the early goal.

Match officials did not stop play. The Premier League match centre said the referee had not seen the incident and therefore was unable to halt the match. A commentator relaying that information said, "the referee didn't see the injury and therefore couldn't stop the game." Video review could not intervene because there was no clear foul in the phase leading to the goal.

Under current guidance, referees are instructed to...