There is a lot that really grinds the gears of Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp these days. A few days ago, it was the fixture congestion/schedule makers. Now it’s VAR and the way it’s used. Ahead of the biggest match of the year (or one of the two biggest), we’re all aware that VAR could have a major influence in determining the result a week from today when Liverpool visits Manchester City.
“Look, we have now a real problem,” said Klopp, “But now we talk about serious moments, very important moments in football. It is not the right way that we sit here, talk about it and everybody wants to laugh about.”
Klopp also said that VAR isn’t a main talking point for him, as his side had just beaten Aston Villa 2-1, and that he didn’t want to make this a bigger issue than it is. Which directly contradicts his talking at length on the topic and repeatedly stressing the seriousness of the situation.
“It’s not to laugh about, to be honest. For that it is too serious. Managers get the sack for losing football games. It’s just like this. I don’t want to make it bigger really than it is, but in fact we just have to clarify it.”
“I don’t say anybody is doing it on purpose or whatever, we just have to clarify it.”
“My analysts showed me [the Firmino situation] after the game, I didn’t see anything and now I heard it. Whoever did it is not doing it on purpose but at the end, we need to sort a couple of things obviously.”
“The handball situation, nobody talks about that because it was not whistled. Imagine if it would have been whistled and then we would have talked about it. But nobody whistled it, we didn’t say anything. Was it a penalty? The shot is here, the shot hits the arm, so in a good old time it was a penalty!”
“Sometimes it’s in your favour and sometimes it’s against you, that’s how it is. That’s not a problem.
“But we have to make sure the new system helps the game and not confuse it, that’s all. But I think that’s in the interests of all of us.”
Liverpool at Manchester City FYIs
Kickoff Sun Nov 10 4:30 BST, City of Manchester Stadium
Google Result Probability: Manchester City 38%, Draw 27%, Liverpool win 35%
Form Guide: Manchester City WWWLW Liverpool WWDWW
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