‘Not the match I expected’ – Liverpool’s big-money summer signing was sent off on Anfield debut leaving Jurgen Klopp fuming

Liverpool have splashed the cash this summer and they will hope to see better Anfield debuts than a previous big-money arrival. The Reds, who won the Premier League title last season, host Bournemouth in the top flight’s curtain-raiser. Wirtz and his fellow summer arrivals will want to impress on their home debutsGetty Arne Slot has spent over £250million throughout the transfer window, breaking the British record in the process. Florian Wirtz has joined for £116m, Hugo Ekitike arrived for £79m, Milos Kerkez signed for £40m and Jeremie Frimpong cost £29.5m. And all four are in line to make their competitive debuts at Anfield in the season opener on Friday night. There are some high expectations on the new arrivals, especially given their price tags – and that brings pressure. Slot will be confident of a strong start, but his predecessor, Jurgen Klopp, would have hoped for the same from Alexis Mac Allister. Mac Allister joined Liverpool from Brighton in 2023 for an initial fee of around £35m, which was able to rise to £55m. His Anfield debut coincidentally came against Bournemouth too, but it didn’t go as the big-money signings would have wanted. Just before the hour mark, the Argentinian midfielder caught Ryan Christie with a high tackle as he competed for a 50/50 ball. The referee then brandished a straight red card, much to Mac Allister and his new teammates’ disbelief. It cut his first home appearance short and he was set to miss Liverpool’s next three games early in the season. Mac Allister caught Christie high with his studs upPLP He was sent off on his Anfield debut against Bournemouth for the challengeGetty The Argentinian and his new teammates couldn’t believe their eyesGetty However, the red card was eventually overturned and he was able to feature in the following matches. Before that decision was made, Mac Allister frustratingly looked back on the way his debut ended on social media. But Liverpool went on to win the game against Bournemouth 3-1, so that helped to soften the blow. He wrote on Instagram: “Yesterday I was able to make my dream come true by playing at Anfield as a Liverpool player. It was amazing. “It wasn’t the match that I expected but we were able to succeed as a team giving the best we had. “I would like to give special thanks to my team mates for the great effort and the fans for their constant support.” Klopp was left raging by the decision and eventually got his way after an appealGetty Klopp left raging Speaking after Mac Allister’s red card, manager Klopp seethed at the decision, which was eventually overturned after an appeal. “I’ve seen it back,” Klopp said. “I think the number of times I’ve been asked about it, it’s worth discussing again which we will probably do. “Alexis told me he touched him, but not really. If you have a list of points to have a penalty beside contact no other boxes are ticked. “If it was a yellow card it wouldn’t have been overturned but because it’s red card and there’s contact VAR isn’t overturning it, blah, blah. “The punishment being with 10 men for 40 minutes is already punishment itself. I don’t know, we have to talk to the authorities. “We saw harsher challenges which were not red cards.” Slot will hope for no red cards from his new arrivals on FridayAFP Liverpool vs Bournemouth live on talkSPORT Slot will be hoping for no similar incidents in the 2025/26 Premier League opener between Liverpool and Bournemouth on Friday. Kick-off at Anfield is set for 8pm. talkSPORT will have exclusive live coverage of the action presented by Adrian Durham. Commentary will come from Joe Shennan and former England striker Dean Ashton. To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream. You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM. Premier League opening weekend fixtures Friday, August 15 Liverpool vs Bournemouth – 8pm, live on talkSPORT Saturday, August 16 Aston Villa vs Newcastle – 12:30pm, live on talkSPORT Brighton v Fulham – 3pm Sunderland vs West Ham – 3pm Tottenham Hotspur vs Burnley – 3pm Wolves vs Manchester City – 5:30pm Sunday, August 17 Chelsea vs Crystal Palace – 2pm Nottingham Forest vs Brentford – 2pm Manchester United vs Arsenal – 4:30pm Monday, August 18 Leeds United vs Everton – 8pm, live on talkSPORT

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‘Not the match I expected’ – Liverpool’s big-money summer signing was sent off on Anfield debut leaving Jurgen Klopp fuming

Liverpool have splashed the cash this summer and they will hope to see better Anfield debuts than a previous big-money arrival.

The Reds, who won the Premier League title last season, host Bournemouth in the top flight’s curtain-raiser.

Wirtz and his fellow summer arrivals will want to impress on their home debuts

Arne Slot has spent over £250million throughout the transfer window, breaking the British record in the process.

Florian Wirtz has joined for £116m, Hugo Ekitike arrived for £79m, Milos Kerkez signed for £40m and Jeremie Frimpong cost £29.5m.

And all four are in line to make their competitive debuts at Anfield in the season opener on Friday night.

There are some high expectations on the new arrivals, especially given their price tags – and that brings pressure.

Slot will be confident of a strong start, but his predecessor, Jurgen Klopp, would have hoped for the same from Alexis Mac Allister.

Mac Allister joined Liverpool from Brighton in 2023 for an initial fee of around £35m, which was able to rise to £55m.

His Anfield debut coincidentally came against Bournemouth too, but it didn’t go as the big-money signings would have wanted.

Just before the hour mark, the Argentinian midfielder caught Ryan Christie with a high tackle as he competed for a 50/50 ball.

The referee then brandished a straight red card, much to Mac Allister and his new teammates’ disbelief.

It cut his first home appearance short and he was set to miss Liverpool’s next three games early in the season.

Mac Allister caught Christie high with his studs up

He was sent off on his Anfield debut against Bournemouth for the challenge

The Argentinian and his new teammates couldn’t believe their eyes

However, the red card was eventually overturned and he was able to feature in the following matches.

Before that decision was made, Mac Allister frustratingly looked back on the way his debut ended on social media.

But Liverpool went on to win the game against Bournemouth 3-1, so that helped to soften the blow.

He wrote on Instagram: “Yesterday I was able to make my dream come true by playing at Anfield as a Liverpool player. It was amazing.

“It wasn’t the match that I expected but we were able to succeed as a team giving the best we had.

“I would like to give special thanks to my team mates for the great effort and the fans for their constant support.”

Klopp was left raging by the decision and eventually got his way after an appeal

Klopp left raging

Speaking after Mac Allister’s red card, manager Klopp seethed at the decision, which was eventually overturned after an appeal.

“I’ve seen it back,” Klopp said. “I think the number of times I’ve been asked about it, it’s worth discussing again which we will probably do.

“Alexis told me he touched him, but not really. If you have a list of points to have a penalty beside contact no other boxes are ticked.

“If it was a yellow card it wouldn’t have been overturned but because it’s red card and there’s contact VAR isn’t overturning it, blah, blah.

“The punishment being with 10 men for 40 minutes is already punishment itself. I don’t know, we have to talk to the authorities.

“We saw harsher challenges which were not red cards.”

Slot will hope for no red cards from his new arrivals on Friday

Liverpool vs Bournemouth live on talkSPORT

Slot will be hoping for no similar incidents in the 2025/26 Premier League opener between Liverpool and Bournemouth on Friday.

Kick-off at Anfield is set for 8pm.

talkSPORT will have exclusive live coverage of the action presented by Adrian Durham.

Commentary will come from Joe Shennan and former England striker Dean Ashton.

To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream.

You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

Premier League opening weekend fixtures

Friday, August 15

Liverpool vs Bournemouth – 8pm, live on talkSPORT

Saturday, August 16

Aston Villa vs Newcastle – 12:30pm, live on talkSPORT
Brighton v Fulham – 3pm
Sunderland vs West Ham – 3pm
Tottenham Hotspur vs Burnley – 3pm
Wolves vs Manchester City – 5:30pm

Sunday, August 17

Chelsea vs Crystal Palace – 2pm
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford – 2pm
Manchester United vs Arsenal – 4:30pm

Monday, August 18

Leeds United vs Everton – 8pm, live on talkSPORT