Jurgen Klopp suggested Liverpool will appeal against Alexis Mac Allister’s dismissal after his side came from behind to beat Bournemouth 3-1 at Anfield.
In a dramatic home opener, Liverpool needed goals from Luis Diaz, Mo Salah and Diogo Jota to respond to a third-minute strike from Antoine Semenyo, and played the final half an hour with 10 men after Mac Allister’s home debut was cut short in the 58th minute.
The World Cup winner was shown a straight red by referee Thomas Bramall after catching Ryan Christie with a high boot, but the decision looked harsh.
“I think the amount of times I was asked about it shows it’s worth discussing again, which we will probably do,” Klopp said. “I asked Macca and he said, ‘I touched him but not really’. That’s all he told me.
“After the game I saw it back. I think if you have a list of points, what we need to give a red card, besides contact there’s nothing else, no other boxes ticked.
“It’s a decision we all agree if he gives a yellow card VAR would not overturn it and if he gives a red card VAR will not overturn it because contact means it’s not a clear and obvious mistake.
“But now the punishment, 40 minutes with 10 men is already punishment enough. But let’s see, we have to talk to the authorities.”
Liverpool were leading 2-1 when Mac Allister was sent off, but far from retreating, they seemed fired up by the sense of injustice, with Joto scoring the third four minutes later.
That all came after a torrid start from Klopp’s side. A bright and energetic Bournemouth side had already seen a Jaidon Anthony goal ruled out for offside following a defensive mix-up when Semenyo punished more lax play by drilling in the opening goal after only three minutes.
Liverpool soon had another scare with goalkeeper Alisson felling Anthony on the edge of the box after misplacing a pass, his punishment limited to a yellow card with Ibrahima Konate covering.
“The start of the game was obviously not how we wanted it,” Klopp said. “We conceded the first goal after a minute and then it was offside so you think that’s the wake-up call we needed.
“Then we concede another goal two minutes later and then there’s a yellow card for our goalie so it’s not what you need but you are working with human beings so you have to figure it out.”
An improvised finish from Diaz levelled it, and Liverpool led after Salah tucked in the rebound from his own missed penalty in the 36th minute, his 187th Liverpool goal taking him to fifth all-time above Steven Gerrard.
The spot-kick was awarded when summer signing Dominik Szoboszlai made the most of a dangling leg from Joe Rothwell to go down in the box.
It looked soft, and came after Bournemouth had a penalty shout of their own when, with the score still 1-0 to the visitors, former Liverpool striker Dominic Solanke went down when sandwiched by Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson.
“In both cases I wouldn’t call it a penalty,” said Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola. “It wasn’t clear and obvious. It has to be something that affects the game and is clear. These are difficult decisions…
“I think we started really well. We had a disallowed goal, we created other chances and after they scored and they pushed we had to defend and I think we did pretty well during the first half because they were putting pressure on and I was happy with the performance.
“In this kind of match you need some kinds of moments to go your way, key things that took us far from the points, especially the penalty. We were competing and this penalty was important for them.”