Lovren urged by Klopp to ignore thugs and threats

JURGEN KLOPP and Slaven Bilic have come out in support of Dejan Lovren at the end of the most turbulent week in the Liverpool defender’s career. Lovren revealed on Tuesday that he had received a death threat against his family on social media. Three thugs then smashed a patio door at Lovren’s home on Wednesday while he was at Anfield for the Champions League game against Maribor — the same night his teammate Sadio Mane’s house nearby was targeted by burglars. Merseyside Police are investigating both incidents. Liverpool manager Klopp has urged his squad not to pay too much attention to messages they receive on social media and hopes the 28-year-old appreciates how highly he is regarded. Supporters have responded by voting Lovren Liverpool’s player of the month and Klopp believes that is more indicative of what the majority of people think about the Croatia international. ‘It only shows how fans are different from people who are very loud on social media,’ said Klopp, who hopes Mane will be fit enough to play ‘20 or 25 minutes’ at West Ham today after recovering from a hamstring tear. Hammers boss Bilic, who was in charge of Croatia when Lovren made his international debut, was incensed when he heard about the death threat. ‘Those people should be ashamed of themselves,’ said Bilic. ‘It’s a bad, bad way of expressing they’re not happy with the way he played.’