Jurgen Klopp rejects suggestion of penalty games ahead of Man Utd clash

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has hit back at suggestions he is trying to play mind games by discussing Manchester United’s recent penalty record.

In preparation for the meeting between the two sides on Sunday, Klopp asked how United have received so many penalties over the past two years, hinting that the Red Devils are being treated differently by the referees.

The comments saw former referee Mark Clattenburg accuse Klopp of “hypocrisy” in his column for the Daily Mail, claiming the Liverpool boss was trying to copy great United’s mind games Sir Alex Ferguson.

“Am I surprised that someone is talking about what I said about the Southampton game? No I’m not, ”Klopp said (via Liverpool Echo). “Am I surprised Mark Clattenburg is talking about this? No. I don’t know if he’s been asked a lot of things long after his career (is over) it’s good for him that we can talk about him too.

“I’m not Sir Alex, and for different reasons. When he (Clattenburg) said we had tried something with mind games I was talking straight after the Southampton game, and between that time and then we had another game (at Aston Villa) and I didn’t Didn’t think for a second about the United game at that point.

“But before the game against Southampton I saw the penalty stats, and that’s what I mentioned.

“When people like Mark Clattenburg now speak the way they speak, it always says a lot more about them than it could ever say about me. If he was in my situation, he would obviously play mind games. Unfortunately, I have no skill to play in mind. games is my problem. “

Klopp went on to discuss his comments in more depth, admitting that he may have overstepped the line, but saying the penalty decisions aren’t consistent.

“After the Southampton game the next day the only thing I really read was trying to understand how people living on another planet obviously – like me – how they see the situation,” he said. declared.

“Handball wasn’t handball, and the Sadio Mane thing… I think it was Mr. Dermot (Gallagher) watching the referee (on Sky Sports News) and he said it wasn’t of handball and that the other thing was not a penalty as well.

“So you think ‘obviously I’m wrong, and they’re always right. It’s just the situation. I don’t want penalties that aren’t penalties. But if there is a penalty then it would be nice if they whistle for because that is part of the game. “

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