‘This was just like wrestling’

JURGEN KLOPP last night warned the Premier League will turn into ‘wrestling’ if referees do not give players more protection.

Klopp said new guidelines urging officials to let the game flow are putting competitors at risk from dangerous play. The Liverpool manager added that several incidents in his side’s 2-0 victory over Burnley yesterday should not have gone unpunished.

He felt Burnley’s physical approach went against the spirit of football, yet referee Mike

Dean finished the game without booking any of their players.

Klopp singled out challenges from Burnley forwards Ashley Barnes and Chris Woods as well as midfielder Josh Brownhill.

He also cited Brentford’s second goal against Arsenal in the first set of games, when a foul on Gunners goalkeeper Bernd Leno went unpunished, as evidence the balance has swung too far against attackers.

‘You always have to be ready for a proper fight but today was really tough. You saw these challenges with Barnes, Wood, Brownhill,’ said Klopp. ‘I’m not 100 per cent sure if we’re going in the right direction with these decisions. It’s not like the football we want to see. We want to avoid these situations.

‘It started when we changed the rules 10 years ago to protect the players on the pitch. We want to let the let the game flow, but we have situations where it must be a foul. There’s no fouls any more? I’m not sure. I like all decisions in favour of the offensive team like offside but we have to stick to protect the players. We can’t deny that. Watch wrestling if you like those things.’

Burnley manager Sean Dyche echoed Klopp’s argument, saying the new guidelines cost his side what should have been a penalty when Dwight McNeil went down under pressure from Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Liverpool teenager Harvey Elliott, meanwhile, was left on the turf clutching his ankle in the opening minute, while Barnes was let off for a blatant shirt pull and Klopp was worried he and Wood used their arms too much in aerial challenges.

‘No soft penalties is fine but we cannot forget we have to protect players in challenges in the air.’

Klopp also claimed he considered it too dangerous to practise for Burnley’s big guns.

‘How can you train for the challenges of [Ben] Mee, [James] Tarkowski, Barnes and Wood. I would never allow it,’ he said. ‘The strikers were in your body when we jumped, it was a proper test.’