At the emotional climax of a wild spectacle, Jürgen Klopp broke out. The Liverpool manager charged at the fourth official, pointed angrily at him and stood in front of the referee. In order not to be tempted to have a worse reaction, Klopp quickly turned away – and then the pain came. Klopp grabbed his back left thigh and limped back to the dugout.
“I got yellow for that and pulled my muscle, at least pulled it. That’s fair,” said Klopp on Sky. The German coach took the warning and injury as punishment for his short-tempered behavior reasonably calmly because the Reds were just able to prevent a disgrace in the 4-3 win against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. Liverpool recklessly gambled away a 3-0 lead and Tottenham equalized in added time before Diogo Jota (90’4) scored the acclaimed winner at Anfield.
Klopp not completely satisfied
“And then Diogo Jota saved our ass,” said Klopp, “of course that feels great.” But despite the happy ending and fourth win in a row, Klopp wasn’t completely satisfied. Klopp annoyed that his team, after goals from Curtis Jones (3rd minute), Luis Díaz (5th) and Mohamed Salah (15th / penalty kick), made the direct competitor for a European Cup starting place so strong.
“We have to put the whole package on the pitch and not just kick a little bit until we’re in the lead and then everyone can do what they want,” demanded the 55-year-old: “If we understand that, then that was a day super important game.”
With 56 points, Liverpool are fifth in the table five games before the end of the season and now have it in their own hands to qualify for the Europa League. The Champions League places remain out of reach, but in general he was “very happy with the development”, said Klopp, “it fits really well”.
criticism of the referee
The coach was not only annoyed by his players’ negligence after about half an hour. He also criticized referee Paul Tierney’s game management. Above all, Klopp was upset by the fact that Salah lost a chance shortly before the 3-3 equalizer because of an alleged foul play.
With Tierney you have “a history” anyway,” said Klopp on Sky Sports: “I really don’t know what this man has against us. How he looks at me – I don’t understand it.” And what Tierney said to him when he was warned was “not okay”.
The English Association of Professional Referees “resolutely” rejected the allegations on Monday. The referee behaved “consistently professionally”, even when Klopp was warned. The former Bundesliga coach of Borussia Dortmund and FSV Mainz 05 now has to fear a penalty.
But there shouldn’t be a suspension, Klopp emphasized that he hadn’t insulted the referees. He only thought in his head: “Despite you, we still pulled this thing here.” Physically, nothing stands in the way of playing on the sidelines in the home game against Fulham on Wednesday. “I can go now, I can also go on Wednesday – that’s all I have to do.”
