Jurgen Klopp rages at ref Anthony Taylor as Liverpool’s title charge slips at Sunderland
JURGEN KLOPP raged at referee Anthony Taylor after Liverpool’s title charge slipped at Sunderland.
The Reds boss was fuming at the awarding of a late free-kick that Sadio Mane handled to give Jermain Defoe the chance to level from the spot.
And Klopp rapped: “It is tough for me to accept. If there’s no free-kick then there’s no handball. And there was no foul for the free-kick. I saw it again and there was no contact.”
The disputed decision came when referee Taylor thought Defoe was fouled by Lucas with Seb Larsson striking a free-kick which Mane stuck out an arm to block.
Senegalese Mane had earlier put Liverpool 2-1 up from close range, after Defoe had cancelled out Daniel Sturridge’s opener with another penalty.
That one was given when Didier Ndong went down under a tackle from Ragnar Klavan. And Klopp blasted: “Ndong jumps in the box. It’s a penalty because the referee decides it was.”
Klopp also saw James Milner go off with a knock to his calf.
And recalled striker Sturridge limped off after being kicked in the ankle by Papy Djilobodji.
Klopp, who has captain Jordan Henderson out for ten days with a heel problem, said: “Daniel has a knock. Not too bad? I don’t think so. With Milner’s calf we don’t know exactly.”
The injuries come with Klopp having already been angered at Liverpool being forced to play three matches in six games. The Reds remain in second but are five points behind leaders Chelsea, who can go eight points clear if they win at Tottenham tomorrow.
Klopp added: “I’m not sure that we could have played better because we played two days ago.
“But you all want to see these games, even when you don’t show them to your own people in your country. I cannot change anything.
“Yes, there is a long way to go. We have a long trip home. Sorry for my mood.”
Sunderland chief David Moyes also stuck the boot in on Klopp following the German’s comments that Sunderland were “the most defensive team I ever saw” when Liverpool beat them 2-0 at Anfield in November.
The Scot, whose side remain third bottom, said: “I’m feeling we weren’t too defensive today.
“I thought the players raised the fans by the way they got up to Liverpool, how they put them under pressure, how they pressed them.
“Maybe if I was a German manager you might praise me for doing something different.”