General News of Thursday, 2 February 2017

Source: fourfourtwo.com

Klopp responds to Mourinho jibe

Jurgen Klopp and Jose Mourinho Jurgen Klopp and Jose Mourinho

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp feels he was fortunate to escape punishment for arguing with a match official rather than being protected.

Jurgen Klopp believes he was just lucky not to be sent to the stands during Liverpool's 1-1 draw against Chelsea after Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho suggested the German was receiving preferential treatment.

Klopp had a heated exchange with Neil Swarbrick on Tuesday, revealing after the match that he shouted "no one can beat us" at the fourth official before apologising, to which the match official allegedly replied with "I like your passion".

Mourinho, meanwhile, claimed that similar displays of "emotion" from himself during United's disappointing goalless draw with Hull City on Wednesday were met with threats of being sent to the stands.

The Portuguese launched a tirade after that game, telling journalists to "tell the truth" about how he is treated differently by other officials compared to other Premier League managers.

Klopp, however, does not believe that is the case.

"I heard things about this before, too. I have no idea if managers are treated differently," Klopp stated at a news conference ahead of Liverpool's trip to Hull on Saturday.

"We all know what we can do. It did not look nice, but it was not as bad as it looked. Maybe I was lucky. There are different ways to handle the situation.

"It is an emotional game. It is not that simple to just switch off emotions. We struggle, myself, Jose, Arsene Wenger. Sometimes we get a fine, sometimes not.

"I was worse when I was younger. I have already improved."