Jurgen Klopp has said he felt for Manchester City after the VAR call which knocked them out of the Champions League and ended their hopes of a historic Quadruple in agonising fashion.
The Liverpool manager sympathised with Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, who said it was a “cruel” way to lose after his side thought they had scored a late winner against Tottenham, only for Raheem Sterling’s strike to be disallowed for an offside in the build-up.
Klopp praised Tottenham for their achievement in reaching the semifinals, but said he was not sure the decision would influence Manchester City or his own team’s pursuit for the Premier League title.
“I’ve no idea, but it was unbelievable, eh? Seeing that I just really felt for them,” Klopp said. “That’s how it is. Everybody thought the ball was in and the whole stadium is celebrating.
“I know some people say without VAR it’s a clear goal but it was offside in that moment, nobody really doubts that, but it’s tough to take I’m 100 percent sure.
“Big compliments to Tottenham. To score three at City, of course they deserve it. Whether it has an influence on the league I have no idea. We will see that.”
Liverpool start the weekend one point clear at the top as they travel to Cardiff on Sunday aiming to heap further pressure on City in the title race.
Guardiola’s side have control of their own destiny with a game in hand on their title rivals, but face a crucial and challenging week, with matches against Tottenham on Saturday just days after their ferocious Champions League battle and then a Manchester derby next Wednesday which could decide their finish.
Anything other than back-to-back wins for Man City will open the door for Liverpool, who could cement top spot against already-relegated Huddersfield next Friday, and as the season draws to a close Klopp said his players would not succumb to tiredness in the run-in.
“We do what we can to train in exactly the right way,” he said. “If you go for a big goal, you don’t feel any tiredness.
“It’s like a marathon. If you are 40 kilometres in and out in front you don’t think about the 40, only what’s to come.
“That’s rather how we feel in the moment.”
The Liverpool boss reserved special praise for Mohamed Salah after he was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine.
Salah has returned to form with vital goals against Chelsea and Southampton in Liverpool’s last two Premier League games to the delight of Klopp, who described him as a “role-model in so many different things.”
“It’s really, really nice to have him and Sadio [Mane] as well,” Klopp added.
“Both are Muslims and live that as well in a world where these things are very often discussed in a dangerous manner or way, as in ‘they are like this’ or ‘they are like that.’
“We know it’s not true but it’s nice to have someone around full of love.
“He is doing what he is doing around his religion in the middle of the dressing room and is sensational around all the boys.”