Jurgen Klopp admits Darwin Nunez was deservedly sent off as the Liverpool striker was shown a red card for violent conduct in the 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace.
The Uruguay striker was making his full debut following his £64m move from Benfica in June but lasted less than an hour after aiming a head at Palace defender Joachim Andersen.
Klopp believes there was "provocation" for the incident but says Nunez, who becomes the first player under the German to be dismissed for violent conduct, can have no complaints as Liverpool face up to a three-game period without their big summer signing at a time when Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota are also sidelined with injury issues.
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"There was provocation but it was definitely the wrong reaction," Klopp said. "It was a clear red card. We cannot deny that. Unfortunately [he is out] for a few games now and that is not cool for us in our specific situation but that is how it is.
"I haven't [spoken to Nunez] yet, but of course I will. I won't speak with him for three games? I came in and wanted to see the situation, I didn't know what happened in the game. I saw Andersen on the floor and Darwin walking away, that was my picture.
"I asked our guys and they said red card. I saw it and yes it is a red card. It was the wrong reaction in the situation. Andersen wanted that and he got it. But [Nunez] made a mistake. So we will talk about that but not yet."
After Wilfried Zaha had given Patrick Vieira's side a first-half lead, Luis Diaz scored a superb equaliser minutes after Nunez's sending off and Klopp said he was proud of his players for how they responded in a week that saw a number of injuries to key men like Joel Matip, Joe Gomez and Firmino at the AXA Centre in Kirkby.
Klopp added: "[The overall performance] was really good, I said after the game I am proud and I am. It's how I feel. A lot of things happened during the week (around injuries) and then the game started like it started.
"We played well and of course we wanted to finish the chances off but we did extremely well and then in the box there were a lot of legs and bodies blocking seven or eight shots in the first half, which is a special number, so we were always on the right path. If we carried on like this it would only be a matter of time. But then they scored to make it 1-0 with what I think was their first counter-attack.
"Everything was in place at that moment, so we had Fabinho and Trent Alexander-Arnold around (Eberechi) Eze and the last line, but unfortunately Eze became free and the space is pretty big and with the speed of Zaha he can finish. In that moment they showed how good they are and how difficult they are to play against.
"Half-time, I was positive and told the boys to go back to how they started the game. We needed to pick up the second ball and cause them problems. I thought it was another positive start and then a red card happened, but it was the best possible reaction from Lucho (Diaz). From that moment it was a special game; us at home with an incredible atmosphere but unfortunately without a goal.
"You have all watched a lot of football with 10v11 and it's not common that you put a team as much under [with 10 men] as we did, so that was good. Now we have a point more than before the game. I can imagine the articles, headlines and comments that leads to us but that is life, so we go from there."
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