It is hard to imagine Jurgen Klopp attempting to soothe an irate Pep Guardiola on the touchline of a Premier League match, or cuddling David Moyes, or gently caressing Sean Dyche’s cheeks with the palms of his hands. Yet for most of Sunday’s match at Brighton, even in a game of significance against a potential rival, he treated Roberto De Zerbi with this kind of love.
Sometimes Klopp played a wise avuncular character, helping to manage De Zerbi’s emotions. At other times they giggled like old friends, laughing at dubious refereeing calls. More often than not their love language of choice was an ironic facial expression: a wry smile, a raised eyebrow, or two puffed cheeks after the ball had hit the woodwork.
