Virgil van Dijk says teammates back Darwin Núñez but he must learn

Virgil van Dijk has said Darwin Núñez needs to control himself after being sent off for violent conduct on his full Premier League debut for Liverpool. The Uruguay international was “really stupid” to leave Liverpool with 10 men against Crystal Palace according to Joachim Anderson, the defender on the receiving end of Núñez’s head-butt at Anfield on Monday.

Liverpool, who are already without forwards Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota because of injury, will lose their main summer signing for Premier League games against Manchester United, Bournemouth and Newcastle. He will not be available until the Merseyside derby at Everton on 3 September.

Van Dijk said the 23-year-old, the first Liverpool player to be dismissed for violent conduct during Jürgen Klopp’s tenure, has the backing of his teammates but must ensure the moment of madness does not happen again.

“He has to control himself, definitely,” said the Liverpool defender. “He has to manage himself [and] he has to be knowing that these things can happen, especially in the Premier League.

“Obviously he was disappointed and also probably with himself. But it’s a learning curve and we will always back him. He knows it should not happen again and hopefully it will be that way.”

Núñez will undergo an extended pre-season training programme during his suspension with Klopp planning to hold talks with the forward over his loss of self-control. The striker aimed two head-butts at Andersen in the 57th minute of the 1-1 draw and the Palace defender claimed Núñez was easily riled.

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Andersen said: “The whole game I sat really close to him, I annoyed him a lot and did well against him. I think