Jurgen Klopp played down the significance of his post-match conversation with Bruno Fernandes after Liverpool were beaten by Manchester United at Old Trafford.
The Reds boss was seen in conversation with United's Portuguese star after his side were beaten on Monday night, when goals from Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford put United in a commanding 2-0 lead on a night when their fans protested against the Glazer family's ownership.
Liverpool sought to hit back in the second period, but they only had a late Mohamed Salah header to show for their efforts.
Klopp came onto the pitch at full-time and was seen in conversation with Fernandes, but the German rejected the idea that it was an 'animated' one, instead claiming it was simply to do with a bit of time wasting from Lisandro Martinez.
"It was not animated it was the most harmless conversation I ever had with a player, who was obviously as emotional as I was," said Klopp at his post-match press conference.
"It was the situation with Martinez, who went down under an 'awful' tackle that was obviously nothing.
"He [Fernandes] made a bit of it, he was talking to me and saying, ‘you'd do the same’.
"But it was fine after, he told me he needs these kind of conversations. Okay, it’s fine, use me!"
Elaborating on his side's defeat to BBC Sport, Klopp said: "The start of the game was exactly what everyone excepted, what United fans expected, they were after us. They started slightly more aggressive than us, they could more play the game they wanted than we could play the game we wanted.
"They scored the goal, which we had to defend differently, but that is how it is with goals. In the second part of the first half we were there and caused them problems. We had massive chances.
"At half time we showed the boys a couple of situations we did really well and wanted to do that again but then we conceded the second goal. Then we have to chase the game properly and then you can get in a bit of a rush.
"We scored a goal and we deserved in that period and then you have to force it, we tried, have to admit in the end not good enough and that is why we lost.
"I don't have a lot of arguments, we lost the game. On another day, with more conviction about what we are doing, we can turn it around. That is how it is.
"To play the football we are able to play, we want to fight. We have a good home game on Saturday and Anfield has to be rocking. We have to set the fire and the rhythm.
"We will try absolutely everything that every Liverpool supporter will expect - we will fight for our lives."
