Ibrahim Oladamola
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says referee Paul Tierney appears to have something “against” his team after a remarkable ending to their 4-3 over Tottenham.
Diogo Jota scored an injury-time winner for the Reds just 99 seconds after Richarlison made it 3-3 – with Liverpool having led 3-0 inside 15 minutes.
He was shown a yellow card by the referee after his celebration.
“We have our history with Tierney, I really don’t know what he has against us,” Klopp told Terryanews. “He has said there [are] no problems but that cannot be true.
“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.
“What he said to me when he gave me the yellow card is not OK.”
PGMOL, the body responsible for Premier League referees, said: “PGMOL is aware of the comments made by Jurgen Klopp after his side’s fixture with Tottenham Hotspur.
“Match officials in the Premier League are recorded in all games via a communications system.
“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.”
Former England striker Alan Shearer says: “Paul Tierney could have sent Diogo Jota off and he [Klopp] isn’t too quick to mention that.
“Jurgen Klopp was lucky, when he went to the fourth official, just to get the yellow card and it’s not the first time he has done it.”
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On his injury, Klopp told Terryanews: “I’m not sure if it’s the hamstring, it could be the adductor but I got punished.
“I turned around for the celebration because the fourth official got nothing wrong the whole time.
“I didn’t say anything bad, I gave a look which is bad enough. The hamstring or whatever the muscle [is] gave up in that moment. That’s fair.”
The injury did not stop Klopp going to celebrate in front of the Kop afterwards as the Reds overtook Spurs to go fifth in the table.
The German’s disagreement with Tierney appears to date back several years.
In 2020 Tierney reportedly told Klopp “to get over it” after the referee admitted he had missed a foul on Georginio Wijnaldum in a game against Aston Villa.
A year later Klopp approached Tierney and said “I have no problem with any referees, only you”, after Tottenham’s Harry Kane escaped a red card before Liverpool’s Andrew Robertson did see red in a 2-2 draw.
In January this year after a loss to Brentford, Klopp said he had approached the officials – including Tierney – to discuss decisions made during the game.
“That’s exactly the same as I would talk to my microwave, you get no response, really, it’s always the same,”
Earlier this month, Tierney booked Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson after an incident involving assistant referee Constantine Hatzidakis.
