Liverpool’s Red Card Woes: A Look at the Reds’ Unfortunate Run of Dismissals

Liverpool have been the epitome of fair play in the Premier League under Jurgen Klopp, topping the fair play table five times. However, this season has seen a stark change in fortunes, with the Reds already having four red cards to their name, more than they had in the previous four years combined.

A Look at Liverpool’s Red Cards This Season

The Reds have had four red cards in the last eight games, with Alexis Mac Allister, Virgil van Dijk, Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota all being sent off. While Mac Allister’s ban was overturned after the club appealed, the other three will have served a combined six-game ban by the time Jones returns on the domestic scene in November.

You would have to go back to 2019 to account for the same amount of red cards, as Darwin Nunez (2022), Andy Robertson (2021), Alisson (2019) and James Milner (2019) were the previous four to be dismissed.

It is a drastic change in fortunes for Liverpool, who have now played 192 minutes this season with less than 11 players on the pitch. That is more than double the next Premier League team, as per Opta, with Wolves second having played 70 minutes without a full complement of players on the pitch.

The Impact of Red Cards on Liverpool’s Performance

It is far from what is needed in a hectic schedule, but each red card has brought Klopp’s new-look team closer together, creating a “we are together and against everyone” mentality, in the words of Darwin Nunez.

It would be nice to see Liverpool finish matches with 11 men more regularly this season, just as it would be not to see yellow cards dished out for players tripping over themselves. Time will tell, but surely the Reds’ bad luck when it comes to red cards has reached its limit! It has to have, right?

Conclusion

Liverpool have been one of the most disciplined teams in the Premier League under Jurgen Klopp, but this season has seen an unfortunate run of red cards. With four dismissals already this season, it is more than they had in the previous four years combined. It is far from ideal for Klopp and his team, but it has brought them closer together and created a sense of unity. Hopefully Liverpool can finish matches with 11 men more regularly this season and put their red card woes behind them.