Liverpool’s rocky start to the Premier League season continued as they remain winless after two matches with prized signing Darwin Nunez given a red card.
The Reds only managed to draw 1-1 with Crystal Palace at Anfield on Monday, to go with the 2-2 result they salvaged at Fulham on the opening weekend.
And with star striker Nunez being given his marching orders, Jurgen Klopp’s side now face a complication after already slipping four points behind Manchester City in the title race.
The Sporting News analyses everything you need to know about the Uruguayan forward’s red card.
MORE: Liverpool vs. Crystal Palace result: Luis Diaz salvages point after Darwin Nunez red card
Why did Darwin Nunez receive a red card?
Referee Paul Tierney showed Nunez a straight red card in the 57th minute after the striker headbutted Palace defender Joachim Andersen with the Reds 1-0 down at this point.
After being shoved from behind by Andersen, Nunez turned around and hit the Danish centre-half with a headbutt, knocking him to the ground.
There was no doubt Tierney was correct to brandish a red card to the Uruguayan.
It completed a nightmare Anfield debut for Nunez, who struggled to have an impact on the match before leaving his team with 10 men and a goal deficit.
Luckily for him, Liverpool did manage to equalise via Luis Diaz four minutes after his red card, but the Reds likely would have won if they had their full complement on the pitch.
“I cannot believe how he thinks he’s going to get away with that!” 😤@Carra23 and @GNev2 take a closer look at Darwin Núñez’s moment of madness that saw the Liverpool man sent off 🟥 pic.twitter.com/thQh0HwLda
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 15, 2022
What did Jurgen Klopp say about Darwin Nunez’s red card?
“Then getting the red card — now of course it’s a red card and it happened,” Klopp said post-match. “It was provoked all the time but that’s not how he should behave.
“He knows that now himself [that he let his teammates down] I will talk to him. It makes no sense when I talk now too much about it in public. You see it. It’s absolutely not the reaction you want to see.
“The challenge from the centre-half — they will do that to him. They want to have him. He’s a handful himself. That’s not the reaction.
“I don’t know how long he will be suspended. That’s the situation. So we will use it for physical work [for Nunez]. Not as punishment, but to make him stronger. And that’s what we will try.”
How long is Darwin Nunez’s suspension?
Nunez will likely be suspended for at least three English domestic matches for the headbutt on Andersen, with the offence being classified as ‘violent conduct’.
The FA may choose to impose further punishment but this is unlikely being the player’s first red card offence of the season.
Which games will Darwin Nunez miss?
If he receives the mooted three-game ban, Nunez will miss the blockbuster derby against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Monday, August 22 – with both teams seeking their first win of the Premier League season.
The Uruguayan will also be absent from Premier League matches against Bournemouth (home) and Newcastle (home).
He would return for the Merseyside derby against Everton at Goodison Park on September 3.
How will Liverpool replace Darwin Nunez?
While the Reds’ squad is flushed with attacking options, replacing Nunez will be challenging because of injury issues.
Diogo Jota won’t be available for the game against Manchester United because of a troublesome hamstring injury suffered in pre-season.
Roberto Firmino missed the Palace game as a ‘precaution’ with the exact nature of his injury currently unknown.
However, with a full week in between the Palace and United matches, the Brazilian could be available.
Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz will be available to play as two of the front three attackers.