Klopp fumes at decisions and injuries

JURGEN KLOPP bemoaned refereeing decisions, accused Gabriel Jesus of diving and confirmed a double injury blow after a loss that left the Liverpool boss conceding ‘We’re not in the (title) race’. Bukayo Saka’s penalty took Arsenal back to the top of the Premier League. They are now 14 points ahead of Liverpool after a battle that saw Luis Diaz and Trent Alexander-Arnold injured. ‘It doesn’t look good for both — that is the icing on the cake,’ Klopp said. Diaz left on crutches wearing a knee brace, after tangling with Thomas Partey, while Gabriel Martinelli stood on Alexander-Arnold’s ankle. Gabriel also escaped a handball in the area before referee Michael Oliver gave Arsenal a penalty after Thiago fouled Jesus.

‘He thought immediately it’s a penalty which is interesting but it’s his decision. (VAR) Mr (Darren) England thought it was a penalty as well. So if two refs think the same, it’s the truth we have to live with,’ Klopp said. ‘If there was contact — and I’m not sure there was — it was soft. ‘But the player was on both feet and then down. That’s an indication something might have been made up.’ Liverpool felt they should have had their own penalty when Diogo Jota hooked the ball on to Gabriel’s hand. ‘Our situation is now a really difficult one. It’s already difficult enough with injuries but if decisions go against you, it’s kind of typical but it doesn’t help,’ Klopp said. ‘A draw would’ve been a deserved result.’ The German was also left frustrated by defensive errors. ‘We made decisive mistakes for all three goals,’ he said. ‘When you knock down with your backside what you built with your hands, that is not helpful.’ On Diaz’s injury, Klopp said: ‘Something with the knee, not good.’ Alexander-Arnold’s twisted ankle comes just over a month before the World Cup. ‘Bad as well,’ Klopp added. ‘He was in too much pain and it started swelling immediately.’

Klopp vowed that Liverpool would ‘fight’ to turn their season around but added: ‘Do I have deeper concerns? Yes, of course I am not happy. How can I be?’ Virgil van Dijk shared his manager’s frustrations. ‘The game was decided by what was not a penalty from my point of view,’ he said. ‘It’s tough to take.’ Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta refused to discuss a title charge, despite their eighth win in nine league games. ‘I’m not going to mention it,’ he said. ‘We are happy where we are so let’s try to continue to be there.’