Liverpool’s showdown with Tottenham on Sunday afternoon turned into one of one of the all-time great Premier League games - and there was plenty of attention on the dugouts.
Spurs boss Ryan Mason was animated throughout the clash at Anfield as he thought his side were due a host of decisions from referee Paul Tierney. Reds head coach Jurgen Klopp also had run-ins with the officiating team on Merseyside.
The German appeared to pull his hamstring in the midst of celebrating Diogo Jota’s winning goal in front of fourth official John Brooks. In the meantime, he also had some choice words for referee Tierney come the full-time whistle after being left furious after he was booked.
Klopp said: “We have our history with [Paul] Tierney, I really don’t know what he has against us, he has said there is no problems but that cannot be true. My celebration was unnecessary, which is fair but what he said to me when he gave me the yellow card is not ok.
"How he looks at me, I don’t understand it. In England nobody has to clarify these situations, it’s really tricky and hard to understand."
Those comments very quickly had supporters scratching their heads at why the relationship between Tierney and Klopp has soured so much. The feud between the pair actually stretches back to a previous showdown between Liverpool and Spurs in December 2021.
What did you make to Jurgen Klopp's comments? Share your response in the comments below
The two sides battled to a 2-2 draw in North London but the scoreline did not go anywhere in explaining the drama. Once again, Klopp was left furious with a number of decisions from Tierney.
Klopp was incensed that Spurs star Harry Kane was not sent off for a bruising lunge on Andrew Robertson, with the Scottish defender later being given his marching orders for a similar foul on Emerson Royal. Kane however only received a yellow card.
Liverpool also thought they were due a penalty after Diogo Jota was shoved over in the penalty area but once again, Tierney was not interested in awarding a decision to the Reds. Klopp was left infuriated with his protests seeing him pick up a booking.
TV cameras then picked up the German saying: "I have no problems with any referees. Only you.”
The debate was not finished there, either. Klopp waited in the tunnel during half-time of the game to have words, whilst that continued after the full-time whistle on the pitch as the former Borussia Dortmund man said: “You've never played football."
Klopp’s rant also continued in his post-match interview as he once again expressed his disgust at a lack of decisions going for his side. The German continued: “Mr Tierney told me he thinks Diogo stops on purpose because he wants the foul. First and foremost if you want to shoot you have to stop because he cannot run and shoot in the same moment.
"It will always be helpful if people have played football themselves in the past. It's fine, the draw is okay. We are not that crazy that we think we can't draw at Tottenham. But these situations are crucial, they are decisive."
The ongoing feud between Klopp and Tierney looks set to land the Liverpool boss in hot water sooner rather than later. A PGMOL statement in the aftermath of Klopp’s comments on Sunday read: “PGMOL is aware of the comments made by Jürgen Klopp after his side’s fixture with Tottenham Hotspur.
"Match officials in the Premier League are recorded in all games via a communications system and having fully reviewed the audio of referee Paul Tierney from today’s fixture, we can confirm he acted in a professional manner throughout including when issuing the caution to the Liverpool manager so, therefore, we strongly refute any suggestion that Tierney’s actions were improper.”
