Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has revealed the comment referee Paul Tierney made to him as he was booked for his celebration in his side’s thrilling 4-3 victory over Tottenham on Sunday.
Liverpool threw away an early three-goal lead against Spurs, culminating when Richarlison netted a stoppage-time equaliser. However, Liverpool forward Diogo Jota scored a winner just a minute later, with Klopp celebrating by confronting fourth official John Brooks.
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Tierney handed Klopp a yellow card, but the Liverpool boss said after the match he was angered by remarks the referee made to him on the touchline, describing them as “not OK.”
On Tuesday, in a news conference ahead of his side’s Premier League clash with Fulham, Klopp disclosed what Tierney said.
“[The] whole situation shouldn’t have happened, a lot of emotion, anger in that moment, that’s why I celebrated why I did. That was the situation, the ‘no foul’ on Mo [Salah]. Free kick for Spurs then the goal. Then we score. I should be happy but I was still angry,” Klopp said.
“I couldn’t get close to the fourth official, I felt my muscle. That’s it. Then Paul Tierney came over to me, I didn’t expect a red. I expected yellow. He said to me: ‘For me it’s red but because of him [the fourth official], it’s yellow.’ I said ‘red card for what?’
“I went in, tried to calm down and couldn’t when I spoke to [the] press. Then I said that what he said was ‘not OK.’ I thought it wasn’t OK because it wasn’t a red but I opened the box with that. I should’ve just said he said it was a red card. Rest was how I felt at that moment.”
British media reported on Tuesday that Klopp faces a lengthy ban for his celebration, with the English Football Association expected to take a firm line to show it is protecting match officials.
When asked about a potential ban, the German coach said he regretted his actions and is bracing for punishment: “I shouldn’t have said what I said but I didn’t lie.
“It’s not my hands what goes on now. We won a game 4-3 in a spectacular manner and [the] only headlines I created [were negative]. We expect a reaction because everyone tells us something [a punishment] will come.”
Klopp sustained a hamstring injury during the celebration, which he said on Wednesday would be enough to keep a player out for six weeks.