Jurgen Klopp was adamant Liverpool should have been awarded a stoppage-time penalty in a dramatic end to his side’s 1-1 draw with champions Manchester City.
An absorbing top-of-the-table Premier League contest at Anfield was halted for a late VAR check after City’s Jeremy Doku caught Alexis Mac Allister in the chest with his boot but nothing was given.
The Reds had already been given one penalty early in the second half, with Mac Allister converting to cancel out John Stones’ 23rd-minute opener.
Liverpool manager Klopp told Sky Sports: “This situation, on all positions on the pitch, is 100 per cent a foul and it’s a yellow card. “
He hit the ball but he can only hit the ball because his foot was right there. If the ball is not there, he kills him.”It’s as easy as that. It’s a penalty for all football people on the planet. If you don’t think it is one then maybe you’re not a football person.”
Klopp was nevertheless happy with his side’s performance against a strong City team. Whilst City twice hit the woodwork in the second half Liverpool, who have been hampered by a lengthy injury list in recent weeks, had spells of dominance and several chances to win the game themselves.
The result left Arsenal leading the table on goal difference only from Liverpool, with City just a point further back with 10 games remaining.
Klopp said: “We would have loved to use one of the massive chances we created.”Yes, we are lucky when (Jeremy) Doku hit the post but we played an exceptional football game.”For us, besides the result, the most important information is that we are right there. We go the distance.”For us it is probably a little bit like, how did we get through all that and that we are still there? It is crazy with all these games and the squad situation we have.”Today I saw the best 53 minutes we had against Manchester City. It was exceptional how we played.”
City boss Pep Guardiola admitted his side had survived an onslaught in the second period. He said: “We spoke at half-time that in this stadium, if you have to defend something, you have to play and play and play. We gave away the penalty and, sooner or later, with this stadium, you have 15 or 20 minutes and it looks like a tsunami coming for everybody who has the ball.”It is not easy but we never stopped trying to play. They had their chances, we had our chances and at the end of the game it (draw) is what happened.”
Guardiola, whose side are chasing a fourth successive Premier League crown and a sixth in seven years, is pleased to be involved in the thick of another title race.He said: “Still there are 10 games to go, 30 points to play for, one point difference.”The important thing is still we are there, after where we came from in previous seasons still we are there. Except one year when Liverpool won it with a lot of points, we were always there.”
(story credit: SABC Sport)
