Jurgen Klopp has detailed how some ‘blatant refereeing decisions’ may have helped Manchester City win the Premier League last season - but the Liverpool boss insisted he has no problem with Pep Guardiola’s side or their victory.
City pipped the Reds to top-spot by just one point following a relentless run-in in which Klopp’s side won 16 of a 19-game unbeaten run while the eventual champions went 12 without defeat, winning nine of those. Liverpool looked like they could possibly have snatched it at the death when Aston Villa went 2-0 up at the Etihad on the final day, but a second-half comeback gave Guardiola a fourth title in five seasons.
Such run-ins are decided by the tightest of margins - both in terms of tactics and refereeing decisions - and German boss Klopp believes some of those ‘blatant’ decisions went against his team more often than not.
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“I don’t have any problems with anyone from City. They deserved it just as much as we deserved it,” he told Sport 1. “What comes up in a moment like that...a few things happened over the season when a few things went against us, so I was thinking on the day: let’s hope it won’t be decisive in the end.
“And then you forget about it again and don’t think about it. There were really blatant refereeing decisions. You keep thinking, what went in our favour? Completely without club glasses. We were lucky once not to get a penalty against us. But we were already leading 2-0. Otherwise – nothing.
“And against us? Clear handball penalties, penalties not given. Clear red cards not given against us, so for the opponent. That comes up at this moment. It’s human to think for a moment. But I don’t carry that around for long.
“No matter how Manchester City get the result, I accepted it - it’s deserved. And the other way round quite the same. And I can say: today I would be sitting here and wouldn’t feel one bit different if I had become champion and won the Champions League for a second time.”
Notable decisions include the lack of penalty given to Everton after Rodri’s late handball back in February which forced the PGMOL - the referees association - to apologise to Frank Lampard’s side after City won that pivotal clash 1-0. While Klopp’s claim of red cards that opposition teams could’ve had might hint back to Harry Kane’s reckless challenge on Andy Robertson in December - a game that ended 2-2.
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