Jurgen Klopp urges Darwin Nunez to learn from red card 'mistake'

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says Darwin Nunez should use his upcoming suspension for headbutting Crystal Palace defender Joachim Andersen to learn from his "mistake".

The Uruguay international, who arrived in the summer for a potential club-record £85 million fee, was dismissed early in the second half of Monday's 1-1 Premier League draw for flooring the Eagles centre-back following a running battled between the pair at Anfield.

Klopp accused Andersen of deliberately provoking Nunez, but that there were no excuses for his reaction and said the three-match ban he will now serve will give the striker time to reflect on his actions.

Nunez, 23, will now miss Liverpool's games against Manchester United, Bournemouth and Newcastle United.

“Of course, I will speak with him,” said Klopp. “Provocation and definitely wrong reaction, he will learn off that. Unfortunately he has now three games to do that. It is not cool for us but it is how it is.

“I came in and wanted to see the situation – in the game I could not see anything so I could know what happened: I saw Andersen on the floor and Darwin walking away.

“Then I saw it – yes it is a red card. Wrong reaction in the situation. Andersen wanted that, he got it but he [Nunez] made a mistake.”

Liverpool actually improved when they went down to 10 men and a brilliant goal from Luis Diaz, waltzing past five players before firing home from 25 yards to cancel out Wilfried Zaha’s first-half breakaway goal, salvaged a point.

But they could have done without Nunez’s enforced absence for the next couple of weeks as the injury crisis continues to grow with Joel Matip and Roberto Firmino missing against Palace and Joe Gomez on the bench as he was not fit to play a full match.

CRYSTAL