It’s quite possible that this tirade from Liverpool Manager Jurgen Klopp could earn him a fine and/or public apology. Liverpool owned a 79% possession and 22-3 shot advantage over Everton, but managed only a 1-1 draw in the Merseyside Derby. What a shame, as it wasted an absolutely brilliant and beautiful goal from winger Mohamed Salah, a scoring strike that trended on social media.
However, a very controversial challenge from the extremely embattled Dejan Lovren gave the Toffees a penalty, which Wayne Rooney converted to equalize for the visitors.
Lovren brought down Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the 77th minute, Rooney scored the subsequent spot-kick, and the Reds dropped two points in a game that they completely dominated. Jurgen Klopp was understandably upset after the match, and he went off on both the officiating, and a reporter.
Klopp said in an interview with Sky Sports: “Our performance was good. We didn’t score often enough. I saw only one team playing. I can’t believe the situation with all the challenges. We were clean and didn’t make any fouls. There is always one nasty one – Sigurdsson made that. A clear red card.
“You see the picture of the penalty. Calvert-Lewin is smart but it is nothing. But it is a penalty and one team can celebrate and we can’t.”
“I don’t understand why the ref is doing that [give the penalty]. I didn’t use one swear word. Only one team is trying over 95 minutes to win it. The other team are not in our box and didn’t have a shot on target bar the penalty.
“Lovren doesn’t make a challenge. Calvert-Lewin makes a step. The hand is on the back. If you think it is a penalty say so. Does my opinion change anything?”
Klopp then snapped at a reporter who dared pose the idea of the penalty call being the correct decision.
“I only want to speak to people with a little bit of understanding about football,” Klopp rudely condescended, before then apologizing.
“I am sorry, I am wrong and you are right. Obviously I am not in the mood to answer questions.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and the Tribune company’s blogging community Chicago Now.
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