Jurgen Klopp has slammed referee Michael Oliver’s decision-making during Liverpool’s 3-2 loss to Arsenal, as well as former Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann for saying his team “lacks spark.”
The Reds controversially gave up a penalty after Thiago Alcantara lightly bumped into Gabriel Jesus in the 18-yard box, which resulted in the Gunners’ third goal.
Meanwhile, they were denied a penalty of their own when defender Gabriel was struck by a cross from Diogo Jota.
It also emerged that Gabriel Martinelli’s opening goal at the Emirates after only 58 seconds may have been disallowed if Bukayo Saka hadn’t been in the camera blind spot when he got the ball from Ben White in the buildup.
As a result, the VAR was unable to draw the lines to establish if he was onside.
What Did Klopp Say?
In his remarks during a press conference prior to Liverpool’s Champions League match against Rangers on Wednesday, Klopp said: “On Sky Sports’ Ref Watch, when Mr Dermot [Gallagher] twice says the decision was wrong by the best English referee Michael Oliver… the TV ref usually always says exactly what the ref decided was right.
“Before the season, we had a big meeting with the refs and they said no soft penalties anymore. Then we’ve seen already this season which kind of situations we have for handball and there were penalties with exactly the same situations, but not in this game.
“We conceded silly goals, especially the second one in the first half. But between the first and second goal, we played against a team in form in the league a really good game.
“Then I get the information only later after that because nobody could show that before, Saka was probably offside around the first goal and all of a sudden a bad defending situation becomes a good defending situation because he would have been offside, just the assistant didn’t see it or thought VAR would check it and VAR had no camera.
“We are responsible for the situation around the penalty situation, we should have cleared it before, but it was still no penalty.
“We are responsible for going through a set-piece and conceding a counter-attack, of course, and we cannot be responsible for the first goal because it was good defending and it was offside.
It’s been seven years since Klopp joined Liverpool.
He endeared himself immediately 🤗 pic.twitter.com/Ir5cYu0HbK
— B/R Football (@brfootball) October 8, 2022
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“It’s really tricky and yes we can play better, but we didn’t go to Arsenal to show how good we are, we went to Arsenal to win the game.
“We lost it in the way we lost it so now it’s difficult to judge, so what did we miss in this specific game? Just the right ref decisions would have been helpful, to be 100 per cent honest, then we could judge the game.
“Then, if we win that game, to the outside world, our problems are completely sorted. We know it’s not like that. Now we lost the game and three players and that’s the exact opposite what should have happened.”
What Did Klopp Say About Hamann?
The German was in no mood to tolerate Hamann’s claim, either, when it was raised again in the press conference.
“He is a fantastic source, well respected everywhere,” Klopp said, sarcastically.
“It [having played for Liverpool] doesn’t give you the right to say whatever you want, especially when you have no idea. I actually think Hamann doesn’t deserve you to use his phrase to ask me a question. Do me a favour and ask your own question.
“We have to keep fighting. It will not happen overnight.”
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