Jurgen Klopp didn't see the incident where Andy Robertson appeared to be elbowed in the face by a match official... but declared: "I heard the pictures speak for themselves."
The astonishing, unprecedented scenes occurred at half-time of Liverpool 's 2-2 draw with Arsenal on Sunday, when the Scotland captain approached assistant referee Constantine Hatzidakis, who lifted his elbow toward the Liverpool player and seemed to draw blood with the contact.
Klopp explained post-game that he didn’t see the incident, stating: “I heard the pictures speak for themselves. I didn’t see it - I’ve obviously had time to watch, but didn’t, just so I can’t give you answers.”
Incredibly, Hatzidakis was the assistant to Paul Tierney, also the referee here at Anfield for this huge contest, when Robertson was sent off at Tottenham back in December 2021, prompting an outburst from Klopp at the officials back then.
Klopp was booked when he complained that the officials hadn't sent off Tottenham’s Harry Kane for an identical challenge to his defender, and was picked up on mics saying to Tierney: “I have no problems with any referees. Only you.”
The Liverpool boss cut a frustrated figure here on an afternoon where Arsenal’s title hopes took a bashing as they threw away a two goal lead, and should have been buried in an improved second display from the home side.
Mo Salah missed a penalty, but then was clearly hauled to the ground in the box by Gabriel with seconds remaining, only for the referee and his linesman to wave away Liverpool’s outraged claims for a foul.
Klopp seemed to echo his comments that he only had a problem with Tierney, when he said of the penalty claim: “ I think there are some things we can talk about…but (let us just say) we had our issues with some referees.”
Asked if the officials had offered any explanation for the various incidents, he added: “We haven’t heard from the officials. They don’t come to us, if we want to have something then we have to go to them. And I didn’t want anything (from them).”
The referee’s body, the PGMOL, later issued a statement on the incident which read: “PGMOL is aware of an incident involving assistant referee Constantine Hatzidakis and Liverpool defender Andrew Robertson at half-time during the Liverpool v Arsenal fixture at Anfield."
The incident deflected attention from Arsenal’s collapse with only a man of the match performance from keeper Aaron Ramsdale and some generous officiating from the referee and his assistants saved them a point.
And boss Mikel Arteta admitted his side must learn to kill off games: “We took the game where we wanted and scored the second and that was the moment to kill the game,” he said.
“But just before half time we gave them hope. We conceded a goal and they generated belief in this special atmosphere and stadium. The second half was a very different story. We just didn’t continue to play.
“We gave every ball away especially in dangerous areas and allowed dangerous results and big transition moments against the best team in the world in doing that. When that happens its chaos.
“We missed that ruthlessness to take the game. Looking at the two halves it’s probably a fair result. You have to take it. The big lesson is probably: play the way we did in the first half and kill the game.”
