Ronald Koeman slams Jurgen Klopp after Liverpool thump Everton 3-1 in the Merseyside derby on Saturday afternoon
Toffees boss blasts Reds chief for his behaviour during game at Anfield, with the German livid at visitors' tough tackling
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RONALD KOEMAN has slammed Jurgen Klopp after Liverpool's thumping win over Everton in the Merseyside derby on Saturday.
The Reds chief was furious in the first half as Ross Barkley and Ashley Williams threw themselves into some hideous, lunging tackles.
In truth, both - particularly Barkley - were lucky to escape an early bath, but Koeman has slated Klopp for daring to complain to the fourth official.
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On the feisty affair at Anfield, won 3-1 by the hosts - with both bosses animated on the touchline - Koeman said: "Tackles are part of football, I saw some tackles from Lucas.
"It's all about football but we don't make a show from the bench like Liverpool.
"It's football - a hard and fair game.
"I don't like coaches from the bench the whole time shouting to referees and linesmen, making a big show about tackles.
"They were crazy. They didn't need the physio on the pitch. It's a man's sport."
However, Klopp hit back defending himself, saying: "I know a few people – especially from other clubs – think I am crazy because I look like I look, I’m sorry for this but I am really emotional.
"As I have said a few times, my teams are always top of the fair play table because I think aggressiveness is to hurt yourself.
"I thought we did really well, again with the importance of the game, not to show anybody that we would do everything for this derby – we had to play football and use the football to do it.
"We want to be hard, yes, but against ourselves and we want all the players to leave the pitch without injuries. You cannot avoid injuries in football, as we all know, but a few of them you can."
The Toffees’ dreadful record at Anfield took another hit as Sadio Mane, Philippe Coutinho and Divock Origi scored.
Matthew Pennington had given Everton hope as he cancelled out Mane’s opener against the run of play but Liverpool easily got back on top.
Klopp’s side upped the pressure on their top-four rivals – moving level with second-placed Tottenham after their early kick-off.
But a potentially serious injury to Mane could overshadow their derby victory moving into the run-in, with many suspecting he suffered ligament damage.
