LONDON • Jurgen Klopp claimed Liverpool were refused a clear penalty and Harry Maguire should not have been on the pitch to deny the Premier League leaders a seven-point advantage in the title race as Leicester secured a surprise 1-1 draw at Anfield on Wednesday.
The Reds extended their lead over Manchester City to five points (61 in total), but missed the opportunity to capitalise fully on the English champions' loss at Newcastle on Tuesday as they failed to beat a team outside the top six for the first time this term.
Sadio Mane gave the hosts the lead in the third minute - their fastest league goal in nearly three years - after a sensational 30-pass move, only for Maguire to cancel out his strike in first-half stoppage time.
However, Klopp felt the Foxes were lucky not to have been reduced to 10 men prior to Maguire's equaliser, claiming the defender should have seen red for denying Mane a clear goal-scoring opportunity. He was instead yellow-carded.
Referee Martin Atkinson's refusal to penalise Ricardo Pereira for clipping Naby Keita inside the box after the break added to Klopp's frustration although, given the chances Leicester squandered, he accepted the draw.
The Liverpool manager said: "Everybody agrees there could have been a penalty. I don't know why it wasn't a penalty. Have I spoken to the referee about it? No. I don't think it will change anything.
"I don't think you need a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) for that (Keita decision) because of the position of the ref on the pitch.
"But he doesn't want to give it and I don't think VAR would have told him to look at it again."
He then turned his complaints to Maguire.
1st
For the first time this season, Liverpool have failed to beat a team outside the top six.
"I would say it is a 100 per cent… a situation where there is a goal-scoring chance that tells the ref he has to give a red card," he said.
"Because not only is Sadio through, but I am also pretty sure Mo (Salah) was on the other side, which gives you two against one, against (Kasper) Schmeichel."
To compound the German's unhappiness, the snowfall on Merseyside resulted in a "difficult pitch" which stymied their usual free-flowing attack.
He added: "We needed to speed it up in the final third, (but) our counter-attacks in the opening moments were defended more by the pitch than our opponents.
"Today, when it started snowing during the warm-up, it was all okay but, when we came out, snow was on the pitch.
"The ball didn't roll really and, if you have the ball pretty much for 70-80 per cent of the time, then it makes life really uncomfortable."
Liverpool looked nervous and susceptible at the back at times and captain Jordan Henderson admitted to BT Sport that "it wasn't our best performance".
"We are disappointed with the result because we wanted the win, but Leicester are a good side," he said. "We'll take the point and move on to the next game."
Leicester manager Claude Puel had insisted before kick-off that his side would, as they had done before, raise their game against a leading club. And the Frenchman was vindicated by a battling display that left his team 11th in the table.
"Of course I am proud of my players," he said. "It was another difficult start to the game. We conceded after two minutes, but we didn't lose our structure. "At the end, we had more chances and it could have been better."
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, THE GUARDIAN, REUTERS
Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen will see a neurologist on Thursday after suffering a horrific head injury during his side's Champions League semi-final defeat against Ajax.
Tottenham Hotspur defender Jan Vertonghen to see neurologist
Pep Guardiola has his say on Man City's title hopes after shock Newcastle defeat. Manchester City could fall seven points behind Liverpool if the Reds beat Leicester tonight
Man City title hopes hit by shock defeat at Newcastle
Chelsea 1-1 Eintracht Frankfurt: Blues win 4-3 on penalties
Football great Pele has been released from the hospital in Paris and will return to Brazil in the "coming hours," Brazilian media reported Monday, citing his spokesman. The 78-year-old's discharge came after Neymar paid him a visit in hospital in the suburbs of the French capital.
England thrash Montenegro 5-1 after early scare. England thrash Montenegro 5-1 after early scare. Skip navigation Sign in. Search. Loading Close. This video is unavailable.
Ikhsan gets off mark in Norway, Football News & Top Stories
May 09, 2019 · Eden Hazard scored the winning spot-kick as Chelsea beat Eintracht Frankfurt 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge to set up a Europa League final against Arsenal
Arsenal and Chelsea player ratings: Star players as Premier
Spurs player ratings vs Man City: Alli outstanding & Alderweireld superb as Son strikes late on It came at a cost, however. With less than an hour gone, Harry Kane had his ankle trodden on by Fabian Delph as he went to block a clearance and he had to be helped down the tunnel immediately.
Pochettino slams Tottenham after defeat at Saints - ProSoccerTalk
Suarez and Messi strike as Barcelona all but end Real Madrid's LaLiga title hopes. Mark Lawford. Yahoo Sport UK December 23, 2017, 1:52 PM UTC. Luis Suarez celebrates putting Barcelona ahead.
Madrid Derby ends 1-1 as Atletico dent Real's title hopes
The Europa League is the right place to be for us next year. "If City don't win the FA Cup we'll have a very bright and early start for the Europa League and it might make it more difficult."
List of UEFA Europa League broadcasters - Wikipedia
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has been hit with an Football Association charge for improper conduct following his side's loss at Burnley last weekend. Pochettino confronted referee Mike Dean after the game which developed into lengthy and heated exchange.
Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino hit with improper conduct
Goal achieved despite everything going wrong BERN • Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri blamed his side's lack of focus after they fell to a surprise 2-1 Champions League loss to Young Boys in their final group game on Wednesday, but was glad to advance to the last 16 as group leaders.
Juventus achieved their objective, despite everything going
Soccer Football - FA Cup Third Round - Manchester United v Reading - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - January 5, 2019 Manchester United interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer during the match REUT
Solskjaer unimpressed as United ease past Reading in Cup
FIFA says 48-team World Cup 'feasible'; decision in June (1:52) FIFA president Gianni Infantino wants Qatar to have a co-host and will present an expansion proposal at June's congress in Paris.
Qatar to not decide on 48-team World Cup until it's seen FIFA
0 Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen