West Ham United are set to offer Lucas Paquetá access to psychological support following his red card for dissent in Sunday's defeat to Liverpool. The 28-year-old midfielder was shown two yellow cards within seconds during the 2-0 loss at the London Stadium, with the incident prompting internal criticism. Several figures at the club feel Paquetá let his teammates down, particularly with the score at 1-0 at the time of his dismissal.
The club, however, recognise the broader context of the Brazilian's emotional state. Paquetá spent two years under investigation by the Football Association over spot-fixing allegations, a period in which the threat of a lifetime ban hung over him. Though he was cleared in July, the strain has been evident. One figure described Paquetá as having been left "bitter and let down" by the process, and suggested the pressure contributed to his outburst.
Paquetá later took to social media to criticise football's authorities, writing in Portuguese that it was "hard to live with everything that's been caused in my life and in my psyche". In a subsequent English-language post, he referenced the two-year ordeal and the lack of psychological support from the federation, adding: "Perhaps this ridiculous behaviour is just a reflection of everything I've had to endure." He also apologised to fans and teammates for his expulsion.
West Ham have noted the significance of those posts and are not understood to be considering disciplinary action over the red card itself. But there is a limit to their patience, with the club sitting only out of the relegation zone on goal difference ahead of Thursday's trip to Manchester United. Paquetá, one of their most influential players, has been inconsistent this season, scoring four goals in all competitions and registering no assists since March 2024.
There are also questions over why Paquetá's teammates did not intervene more forcefully when he confronted referee Darren England over a free-kick decision. Notably, Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker made the largest effort to pull Paquetá away. West Ham are expected to discuss this week how best to help the midfielder refocus, with psychological support seen as a key step.
