Mourinho is unimpressed by Liverpool’s bench press

TOTTENHAM manager Jose Mourinho claims the Liverpool bench was putting so much pressure on referee Anthony Taylor at Anfield, he feared Giovani Lo Celso would be sent off.

Immediately after the 2-1 defeat the Portuguese criticised Reds boss Jurgen Klopp’s touchline antics, insisting: ‘If I behaved the same, I’ve no chance to stay there. I’m out one minute after.’

Later, Mourinho went further, suggesting he had to substitute Lo Celso, on a caution, as he was concerned the Argentine would receive a second yellow card influenced by Liverpool’s staff.

‘With this yellow card and the behaviour of these guys they have on the touchline, putting incredible pressure on referees I feared for a possible second yellow card,’ the Spurs boss said.

‘Gio was playing exactly in front of their bench in an area that (is) very dangerous. So I was afraid of the yellow card and I had to take him off.’

Mourinho (pictured above right with Klopp after Wednesday’s game) has consistently played down his team’s credentials as challengers to the defending champions and while defeat at Anfield was a blow, he insists they remain focused on remaining competitive.

‘The first thing that makes title contenders is to go to every match to win it with that ambition and I promise you the ambition is there,’ he added. ‘If in any match you see us not trying to win it is not that we don’t want, it is because the opponent pushes us to different situations.’