Liverpool 3-1 Bournemouth: Alexis Mac Allister red card should be 'discussed', says Jurgen Klopp

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Alexis Mac Allister shown a red cardImage source, Chris Brunskill/Fantasista
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Alexis Mac Allister was shown a red card after 58 minutes of Liverpool's 3-1 win over Bournemouth

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes Alexis Mac Allister's red card should be rescinded, arguing his side had been "punished enough" by the dismissal.

The 24-year-old Argentina midfielder, who joined in a £35m summer move from Brighton, was sent off after 58 minutes of the 3-1 victory over Bournemouth.

Mac Allister faces a three-game suspension after he clipped the foot of Ryan Christie and was shown a red card.

"It's harsh, this shouldn't have been a red card," said Klopp.

"It's a mistake and the punishment of playing 40 minutes with 10 men is already punishment enough. We have to talk to the authorities.

"There was contact but there is contact in a game all the time. If he gives a yellow card nobody would say, 'by the way you need to have another look at that'.

"The amount of times I've already been asked about it shows it is worth discussing again, which we will probably do.

"I asked Macca and he said 'he touched him, but not really'. If we have a list of points of what you need to give a red card, besides contact there's no other box ticked."

Bournemouth took the lead through Antoine Semenyo in the third minute. Liverpool equalised with Luis Diaz's goal in the 27th and then went ahead when Mohamed Salah knocked in nine minutes later after his penalty had been saved.

It was 2-1 at the time of Mac Allister's red card, although Diogo Jota added a third goal for the Reds four minutes later as Liverpool extended their unbeaten home run in the Premier League to 13 matches.

Match of the Day host Gary Lineker, writing on social media, called the sending off decision a "nonsense" and said the "referee and VAR were having a bad day".

Paul Tierney was the video assistant referee and the sending off was the second controversial decision of the match.

Liverpool were awarded a first-half penalty when Dominik Szoboszlai went to ground despite minimal contact from Joe Rothwell, although the Bournemouth midfielder had an outstretched leg when the Hungarian fell.

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola, who called the sending off "more like orange", than red, was also unhappy with the officials for the spot-kick, which led to Liverpool's second goal as Salah converted the rebound after Neto had parried the penalty.

"I think it's very, very soft," said the Spaniard. "Once the referee whistles I didn't think the VAR will change it but at the moment it was very important for us. A penalty has to be something that affects the game."

Former England striker Dion Dublin felt the officials had got the the key decisions wrong.

On the red card, Dublin, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, said: "Not a red for me. Downgrade it to a yellow.

"It is a high foot, there is no malice in there. Mac Allister has tried to go in side-footed, not with a straight leg. Both had high feet, both went for the ball, yellow for me."

If Mac Allister's red card is upheld then he will miss the Premier League matches away at Newcastle on 27 August, home to Aston Villa on 3 September and away at Wolves on 16 September.

Image source, BBC Sport
Image source, BBC Sport

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