Jurgen Klopp has called for more protection for Sadio Mane after hitting out at accusations of diving from the Liverpool forward.
Mane played 90 minutes of the 2-0 win at Arsenal on Wednesday as the Reds went to within a single point of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table. Goals from Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino were enough in the second half as Liverpool won their ninth successive game to close the gap further on Pep Guardiola's side, but Klopp was frustrated with some of the decisions that went against Mane.
And the manager fumed against claims that the Senegal star goes down too easily as he launched a plea for more help for his No.10 going forward from the match officials.
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"The situation with Sadio Mane, I am sick of it!" Klopp said.
"I just am sick of it that you take a player out of it and they could have done what they wanted, everything. They fouled him and he didn't get fouled. That was what I was talking about. It was nothing to do with the game. I have no idea.
"Maybe someone can explain to me why Sadio doesn't get free-kicks. Don't tell me he is a diver or whatever, he is not. I know him better than anyone else and he is not!
"Maybe if he has one, it is not a clear foul but it is always like this. Maybe there is a little contact and he goes down but then you see it in the situation. Or for the proper [fouls] he doesn't get them and that is what I don't like.
"Not enough protection? Whatever you want to make of it, just look at the situations and tell me that it is not always a foul."
Klopp continued: "And then you have Ben White over in the corner, Sadio pressed him and then he kicks the ball out more or less. There is no contact, but it is still a free-kick for Arsenal, so it is smart from Ben White.
"But if Sadio is doing that, the whole stadium is on their toes and the referee is [thinking] 'oh my god.' I am sick of it and that is why I was a bit angry [on the sidelines]."
