Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp ‘lucky’ to escape red card, says Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer believes Jurgen Klopp was lucky to escape a red card for shouting in the face of fourth official John Brooks during Sunday’s dramatic final to Liverpool’s 4-3 win over Tottenham Hotspur.
The Liverpool boss sprinted to Brooks after Jota scored a dramatic winner in the 94th minute before limping back to his technical area after pulling his hamstring.
Referee Paul Tierney then only booked the Liverpool boss, who was outraged by the decision to award Tottenham a free kick ahead of Richarlison’s goal to make it 3-3 just minutes earlier.
Speaking on Match of the Day, Shearer said Klopp is a series offender for sideline antics and referred to an earlier incident when Diogo Jota escaped a red card for kicking Oliver Skipp in the head.
âHe could easily have sent Jota away and should have sent him, which he did [Klopp] wasn’t too quick to call,” Shearer said.
According to Alan Shearer, Jurgen Klopp was ‘lucky’ not to be sent off for taking off as fourth official John Brooks after Liverpool’s dramatic late winner against Tottenham Hotspur.
Jurgen Klopp appeared to pull his hamstring as he celebrated Liverpool’s winning goal after sprinting down the touchline to Brooks
Klopp was booked by referee Paul Tierney for his action, but some believed the Liverpool manager was lucky he wasn’t sent off
Speaking on Match of the Day, Shearer said Klopp should have been shown a red card
âHe was lucky with the way he went to the fourth official. We know it’s an emotional game, it’s a crazy game at times and the emotions were running high.
“But it’s not the first time he’s done that on the sideline, so he’s lucky he just got a yellow card.”
In post-match television interviews, Klopp claimed that Tierney said something “unacceptable” to him as he waved the yellow card.
‘What him [Tierney] said to me when he gave me the yellow card… You can’t. But it’s not okay either,” Klopp told Sky Sports.
But the governing body of the referees PGMOL accused Klopp of lying in a statement released late on Sunday night.
PGMOL is aware of Jurgen Klopp’s comments following his side’s clash with Tottenham Hotspur.
Premier League match officials are recorded in all matches via a communication system and having fully reviewed referee Paul Tierney’s audio from today’s match we can confirm that he acted in a professional manner throughout, including at the giving the warning to the Liverpool manager. so we strongly refute any suggestion that Tierney’s actions were inappropriate.â
Klopp added: “We’ve had our story, history with Mr Tierney. I really don’t know what this man has with us. He will always say there is nothing, but it is not true.
Tierney shows Klopp the yellow card for his touchline as Brooks watches
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp launched an astonishing attack on referee Paul Tierney
It came after Diogo Jota secured victory for the Reds deep into stoppage time against Tottenham
‘I can’t, I don’t understand. It can’t be. I’m really not sure if it’s me, how he looks at me. I do not understand.
âI really don’t have a problem with people, including him. But I say again. He was turning down at Tottenham Hotspur when Harry Kane didn’t get a red card. And Harry Kane, I love this player, what a player, crazy, I don’t want him to get a red card â but it was a red card in that game.
âAnd it was Mr. Tierney and no one asked him about it because they don’t need to clear up situations. So it’s really tricky and it’s hard to understand and my celebration for the fourth official I didn’t say bad words.
âIt was not necessary and I was immediately punished for that. I pulled my hamstring or adductor or whatever so fine. That is fair.’
The hosts had built a three-goal lead in the opening 15 minutes thanks to goals from Curtis Jones, Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah.
Spurs then fought back with strikes from Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Richarlison, the Brazilian’s equalizer in the 93rd minute. But just 99 seconds later, Diogo Jota found the net to make it 4-3 for the Reds.
Shearer suggested that Diogo Jota was lucky not to be sent off for his boot on the head of Tottenham Hotspur’s Oliver Skipp.
Skipp was left bloodied after the dangerous challenge, which did not lead to a red card
That goal set off an over-the-top celebration from Klopp – and after the match, Sky pundits had their say on the controversial incident.
Graeme Souness said, ‘Look, we can’t sit here and approve it. He will now wish he didn’t. I’ve been there and the emotion and when things go against you sometimes you react in a really strange way. But he suggests he has an ongoing situation with the referee that can’t help.
Roy Keane added: “He’s angry because there was a foul on Mo Salah. There was a clear violation, it was given the other way. That was the beginning of the frustration. But you can’t do such actions, which he did. I don’t think he’ll do it again after pulling his hamstring. It didn’t look good.
Before Jamie Redknapp continued, ‘Not for a few weeks anyway, he won’t move very well. By the time he gets there, the game will begin. But no, I can’t approve that.
âBasic roots, everything we try to do, it (that behavior) filters through to young children. It filters for coaches. When you start running in people’s faces like that, it’s not good. He knows that. But you can’t do that. It’s not on.’
Before Souness concluded, âIt’s an accumulation of frustration, isn’t it. Like I said, I’ve been in that situation, when you look back on it you’re ashamed of it and I think he will be too.’