Jürgen Klopp met with the media following Liverpool's 3-1 win over Bournmouth. During the presser, he discussed Alexis Mac Allister's red card, Liverpool's response to playing with 10 men and getting 4 points from the first two matches.
Mac Allister was shown a red card in the 58th minute for a dangerous challenge on Bournemouth's Ryan Christie. After watching the replay, Klopp says he understands why VAR did not overturn the card, but he questions whether it should have been given in the first place.
“I think the amount of times I got asked about it [by the media] shows already it is worth discussing it again, which we will probably do,” Klopp said. “I saw it back now, in the game I couldn't… After the game, I saw it back now and I think if you have a list of points of what you need to give a red card, I think the majority – besides contact – nothing else, no other boxes ticked in that moment. I think it is a decision we all agree if he gives a yellow card the VAR would not overturn it. He gave a red card and the VAR is not overturning it because the contact means there is no clear and obvious [error]. Mistake, but I think the punishment [of] 40 minutes with 10 men in that weather today is already punishment enough, but let's see. I don't know. We have to talk to the authorities.”
Often, when a team goes down a man, they drop back and play more players in a defensive role. Liverpool had the opposite approach as they kept pushing for a goal, which paid off in Diogo Jota's tally.
“It was a top response,” Klopp said. “The level was really good, it was really good. We scored the third goal [and] in that situation we still had our moments, we still had counter-attacks. I thought for [having] never ever trained or played in that formation the boys did extremely well, they all fought really hard. I think the situations Bournemouth had were all high balls into the box, header, square, bam... that's really difficult to defend because you cannot avoid all long balls, especially not with a man down, but I thought we did that really well.”
Liverpool have 4 points through their first two matches. By comparison, they did not reach 4 points until after winning the 4th match of the season a year ago.
“I think that's the minimum of what we should expect from these two games,” Klopp said “When you have a look at it, it's not that I count games and think where we should win and where we could maybe lose, but when you start at Chelsea I don't think any team in the world goes there and just books the points in and says, 'OK, we had them already.' So, having there a point and of course against Bournemouth and against any team in your first home [game] you want to win, so it's an OK start, that's it. If we wouldn't have won, people would have thought differently about it but at least that is now fine. We have obviously big games coming up, the next one is already waiting and that will be a tough one as well. So, it's alright, it's alright, but now we have to keep going, obviously.”
Klopp was obviously not pleased with Mac Allister's red card, but he is happy with how the team responded to adversity and pushed for Jota's insurance goal. He is also marginally satisfied with the club's 4 points so far, while also acknowledging they have to keep improving as the season Progresses
