Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has accused referee Paul Tierney of having a problem with him and claimed opposing striker Harry Kane could have broken defender Andy Robertson‘s leg during his side’s 2-2 draw at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Liverpool fell three points behind leaders Manchester City after a pulsating clash in north London in which Kane appeared fortunate to avoid a red card for clattering Robertson midway through the first half.
Robertson was later sent off for a similarly reckless tackle on Emerson Royal and, in between, Liverpool were denied a penalty when Emerson bundled over forward Diogo Jota in the box.
Klopp was booked for arguing the penalty decision and continued his remonstrations with Tierney at half-time and after the match, in which Kane opened the scoring before Jota and Robertson gave Liverpool the lead, only for Son Heung-Min to equalise 16 minutes from time.
“I have no idea what his [referee Paul Tierney] problem is with me,” Klopp told reporters. “I was a bit more emotional in the game but he gives me a yellow card but it is not allowed in a situation like this? He comes over and gives me a yellow card but I’d have preferred the right decisions on the pitch.
“Let’s start with Robbo. We saw it now back and yes, you can give a red card there. It is not the harshest ever but it is not the smartest as well. He is a really good boy but he lost it a little bit.
“But this is the proof that the VAR was there today. Before we thought he might not be in his office because the two other situations, I think we all agree that Harry Kane should have seen a red card and he didn’t.
“That is a clear, absolutely 100-percent red card. Very often, you cannot see it clearly or whatever, but this situation, if Andy Robertson’s foot is still on the ground, his leg is broken. I think we all agree on that. Luckily for both it was in the air. It is still a red card but the ref saw it differently.
“The penalty situation, Mr. Tierney told me he thought Diogo Jota stopped on purpose. He wanted to get it. If you watch this situation back, it is a very exclusive view. It was a very quick decision. I’m not sure he was prepared for it or whatever.
“How can he react that quick? It was a clear penalty but he thought it was clearly not a penalty. Wow. That is obviously two wrong decisions, I would say, and one right. All three against us.”
While insisting he was happy for Sunday’s game to go ahead despite four positive COVID-19 cases that sidelined Thiago Alcantara, Fabinho, Virgil van Dijk and Curtis Jones, Klopp also urged the Premier League to be consistent in deciding which fixtures go ahead over the festive period.
“We are in contact with the Premier League, we tell them about our cases,” Klopp added. “In the first instance, we had three cases. Then, two days later, Thiago was positive. The Premier League tells us these are pretty much the best numbers in the league.
“I saw Arsenal and Chelsea playing, they have for me their first line-up pretty much on the pitch. For us, that is not exactly the same.
“There was no chance with four yesterday to cancel a game and we had no intention to do that. It is tough. Absolutely tough.
“They looked fresher than us in the second half. It is an intense period. We have to make sure we all have the same chances, the same situation pretty much. It is difficult in that moment, I see that.”
By James Olley/ESPN FC
