Jurgen Klopp told Darwin Nunez he has to change his behaviour and not react to provocation after the £64 million striker was sent off for a headbutt on his home debut for Liverpool.
The Liverpool manager said Nunez, who was dismissed for violent conduct on Joachim Andersen in the 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace, is aware he let his teammates down.
Nunez now faces a three-match ban, ruling him out of matches against Manchester United, Bournemouth and Newcastle, and Klopp said he has to learn.
He did not dispute referee Paul Tierney’s decision, saying: “Of course it was a red, he was provoked but that is not how he should behave. In the game, I could not see anything so I could know what happened. I saw Andersen on the floor and Darwin walking away. That was my picture. Then I saw it: yes, it is a red card. Wrong reaction in the situation. Andersen wanted that he got it but he [Nunez] made a mistake.
“Darwin knows he let his team-mates down. I will talk to him. It was not a reaction we want to see. He know he will be challenged in this way, centre-halves will do that, but it is not a reaction we want. It was provocation and definitely the wrong reaction but he will learn off that.
“Unfortunately he has now three games to do that. It is not cool for us but it is how it is.”
Nunez will use his time out of the team to work on his physical condition and will be banned at a time when Liverpool have been hit hard by injuries, with Klopp joking that a witch has cursed his team.
Joel Matip is also set to miss the trip to Old Trafford and Klopp said: “It will be two weeks - more, I think. We will see. The week was crazy. It was like we had a witch in the building, honestly. Every day somebody else pulled out for the craziest reasons.”
Joe Gomez and Jordan Henderson were only able to start on the bench while Roberto Firmino joined an injury list that already included Diogo Jota, Thiago Alcantara, Ibrahima Konate, Curtis Jones and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Klopp added: “In the end, Joey didn’t start – and Nat [Phillips] did really well, I have to say – because he trained only yesterday again. At the start of the week he had a little issue.
“Bobby couldn’t make it. Hendo this morning we got the information there’s a little concern about something if he plays too long, so he didn’t play that long. That’s the situation. It was not too cool.”
