Lukaku meant to kick me in the head
SAYS LIVERPOOL’S LOVREN
DEJaN loVREN has accused Romelu lukaku of deliberately trying to injure him and claims the Manchester United striker’s actions prove he was in the wrong.
The liverpool defender was left writhing and clutching his face, seemingly in agony, after a coming together with lukaku towards the end of the first half of Saturday’s 0-0 draw at anfield.
Referee Martin atkinson took no action against lukaku and that course was followed by the Fa yesterday, as they decided the Belgium forward had done nothing wrong.
lovren, however, was clearly disappointed they had come to that conclusion. The Croatian was of the opinion lukaku kicked his face on purpose and felt the way he behaved subsequently backed up this point.
‘i made a tackle there,’ said lovren after he arrived in Maribor last night. ‘i just felt he was over me and he could move away but my view is that he did it on purpose. Even if he did it normally he would apologise after that. But i saw he was nervous during the game, so maybe that was the reason.
‘That happened on the pitch and it is over. i cannot change it and no one can change it, so that is what i am thinking about.
‘This is not my decision but it is what it is. We need to move on. That is part of the game.’
after receiving treatment, lovren was able to see out the full game against United and he was one of liverpool’s standout performers.
The clean sheet — only the third Jurgen Klopp’s side have kept this season — came as a relief at anfield.
it has been a difficult start to the campaign for liverpool’s much-maligned defence but the 28-year-old, who insists he is now able to get through games without taking painkillers for back and groin issues, feels it can be a turning point.
‘ When we talk about clean sheets for me and the team, it is more important we defend all together,’ said lovren.
‘We did not even allow (United) to cross the centre of the pitch. We showed we can do it. Now we have to show it against every team all season.
‘i had issues with my back and groin a couple of weeks ago. i skipped the first game in the internationals and that helped me to put the pain down. i was struggling but now i am fit.’
Fit and ready are sentiments that also apply to alex oxladeChamberlain. His cameo against United enthused Jurgen Klopp and left liverpool’s manager purring he was the ‘most positive thing’ to emerge from an afternoon that lacked charm.
Starts have been difficult to come by for oxlade-Chamberlain since his £35million move from arsenal. Saturday’s draw was the sixth time he has been summoned from the bench, with his only start being against leicester in the Carabao Cup.
The transition from life in london to liverpool has not been smooth and his ambition of becoming a central midfielder will have to wait as Klopp is of the opinion that his education will be accelerated from a role on the wing. Klopp, though, is delighted with oxlade-Chamberlain’s attitude and is likely to start him in Maribor as liverpool seek a first Champions league group stage victory since September 2014.
‘it is a different style to arsenal and a different role to the wing-back role he played in for arsenal,’ said Klopp.
‘Then he plays for England and they all come back from their national teams not confused, but with different plans.
‘That is not too simple. i would say there has been no consistency until now. We let him run so far, let him do what he is naturally good at and it will take time but it’s all good. He is powerful and that is what we need.’
Maribor are managed by Darko Milanic, who spent 32 days as leeds manager in 2014.
They are expected to finish bottom of Group E but Klopp is not taking any chances and will play a near full-strength side.