MAN UTD 0 SOUTHAMPTON 0 TIME, POG
JOSE IN A RAGE Klopp needs Van as Salah gets on bike
by the news that Zlatan Ibrahimovic faces a month out with a bad knee. Mourinho felt Pawson blundered by not punishing a first-half handball by Saints’ skipper Maya Yoshida. And Mourinho also called out officials Michael Oliver and Jon Moss for costing United points in the derby defeat by Manchester City and the draw at Leicester respectively. Mourinho said: “Craig is a very good referee, one of the best not just in England but also in Europe. But he has made a very bad decision that has punished us. “I saw it on the touchline and it was very clear. But I was 50 metres away so I gave him the benefit of the doubt. Then when I saw players like Juan Mata reacting so hysterically, I knew there was no doubt. “At half-time, I watched it and it was a penalty – like the foul on Marcus Rashford against Leicester and the foul on Ander Herrera against City. “They were unlucky decisions for us. We have been punished.” Pawson (above) explained to Mourinho at the interval he felt Yoshida had handled accidentally. United are now in third place – a massive 14 points behind City, who have a game in hand. Mourinho’s men visit Everton tomorrow witihout Lukaku, who will also miss the FA Cup clash with Derby on Friday. LIVERPOOL’S £75million man Virgil van Dijk yesterday received a crash course in the Jekyll and Hyde qualities of his new club. The defender (below) who will officially sign tomorrow following his switch from Southampton was given a brief tour of Anfield before being shown to a seat in the stand to watch his new team-mates.
And it took just two minutes in Liverpool’s 2-1 victory over Leicester City to illustrate just why manager Jurgen Klopp wants the costliest defender in world football to join up.
A glaring defensive mistake – indicative of Liverpool’s failings at the back all season – gave Jamie Vardy the chance to give the former champions an early lead.
But Mo Salah kept up his staggering goalscoring run with a second-half double which makes it 17 Premier League goals in 17 appearances – 23 in all competitions – to extend Liverpool’s unbeaten run to 15 games. Klopp hugged him after replacing the electric heeled Egyptian with eight minutes to go. The Anfield boss said“Yes he can keep up this standard for sure. He can actually improve.
“It is not just about scoring. But he knows, and I know, if he hadn’t had all the support of all the other boys, he couldn’t have scored these goals. “We played fantastic. Sadio Mane’s idea for the first goal [a back heel], a lot of people wouldn’t have seen it as an opportunity. It was really important.”
The only worry was that Salah – who has also equalled Roger Hunt’s tally of the most goals scored before New Year – limped to the dressing room.
Klopp added: “I don’t know in this moment for the next game, he was limping which was never a good sign. I don’t know what the problem was. We will see for the next game.”
The Kop boss was delighted with the response to going a goal down as Liverpool continue their quest for a top-four finish.
“It was the best reaction I’ve seen in this side,” he said. “On perfect days we win football matches. Today was pretty perfect.
“I didn’t see one nervous player or a reaction in a negative way. We kept on going. We created and created.”
On the arrival of Van Dijk he added: “For the really good players it’s a challenge for the team will always help you.
“We can’t go into the season with two centre-halves and hope nothing happens. If you have a fourth one, it is even better.”
Leicester boss Claude Puel – who suffered his first Anfield defeat in seven visits – said: “We came up against fantastic players like Salah who can change the game any time.
“But I think we deserved something. I am frustrated for my squad.”