Diogo Jota shares what Liverpool players were joking about after Alexis Mac Allister’s red card today

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Diogo Jota has joked that Liverpool actually played better with 10 men after seeing Alexis Mac Allister sent off today.

Mac Allister was harshly given his marching orders with the Reds 2-1 up against Bournemouth this afternoon. Thankfully, just minutes after the red card, Jota put Liverpool 3-1 ahead.

And speaking to liverpoolfc.com, the forward said that after being substituted, he and his teammates on the bench chuckled at the difference in their performance with 10 and 11 men.

“We were joking on the bench it was almost like we were playing better with 10 than with 11!” Jota laughed.

“I think everyone really felt the moment to stand out, to be able to help each other, to stay closer to each other. And I think that’s what we did. We got these three points and I think it’s deserved.”

Liverpool don’t let red ruin day

Whether Liverpool played better or not, going down to 10 men isn’t something they want to make a habit of.

However, it’s worth drawing some very obvious comparisons to when the same thing happened this time last year.

The first home game of Liverpool’s 2022/23 season was against Crystal Palace on August 15th. That day, they also saw a new South American signing sent off on his home debut for the club.

For Alexis Mac Allister today, see Darwin Nunez last year.

Of course, the circumstances of the sending’s off were very different. Liverpool were also 1-0 down as opposed to 2-1 up at the time.

But where one year ago they failed to raise their game to get the win, today they dug in and did. That will certainly be pleasing to Jurgen Klopp and Reds supporters everywhere.

It’s true that the sending off came at a time when Liverpool were on top in the game anyway. They didn’t allow the strange decision to alter their momentum, though. It’s no reflection on Mac Allister either, who was playing well up to that point. Let’s do it with 11 next time, lads.