Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp let his frustration show following Liverpool’s 1 – 1 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford.
In the grand scheme of a title race, a point at Old Trafford is a good point. However in the current circumstances, the still-unbeaten Liverpool can’t rest on their laurels. Their six point lead over Manchester City at the top of the table guarantees nothing in their relentless title battle.
After the game, Jurgen Klopp accused United of playing defensively, and bemoaned an unusual VAR incident.
Read: Nigel Winterburn – Wimbledon Scared a Lot of teams
“Why should it frustrate me?” asked Jurgen Klopp.
“I am not the person to be frustrated it is just a fact when we come here, last year, this year, the year before, they just defend. That’s OK.?
“Everybody is happy when United are playing against Liverpool, they think both teams are trying, they are not really trying. No excuses, we expected to do better but you cannot play against each team like this, like they did today. We don’t have to say it is a compliment, it is just we are a good team and it is normal people think how can they stop us.?
“In the first half, we stopped ourselves but United defended really well and they had the speed. So no criticism of United.”?
In the build up to Marcus Rashford’s opener, Divock Origi was fouled, and the referee didn’t blow for a foul. According to Klopp, referee Martin Atkinson was waiting to see if VAR would tell him it was a foul.
However, that’s not what VAR was designed for, and arguably, United’s first goal should not have stood. As Klopp argued, if VAR wasn’t in place, then the foul on Origi would have been called.
Want $250 to bet on the Premier League title race? See our reviews section to find the best markets!
“I calmed everybody down on the bench because I saw immediately Mr Atkinson, he immediately showed VAR,” said Klopp.
“He was checking and I was 100 per cent sure that VAR would overrule it, but obviously you have a problem.?
“So the ref let the game run because he has VAR but the VAR says it was not clear, so he could say it was not a foul. So they could not over rule it. It is a clear VAR issue with how we deal with it in the moment. I am not angry, I saw it as a clear foul, nothing else. Sometimes in England you say ‘come on, that’s proper football.’ I’m sure Mr Atkinson, if there was not VAR involved, would have given it but [he didn’t] because VAR was involved.”?
Liverpool are still the 8/11 favourites to win the title, ahead of Manchester City at 11/10.
