The Football Association (FA) has been asked to dock Liverpool three points for Jurgen Klopp’s attitude during his team’s 4-3 victory over Tottenham Hotspur. Klopp celebrated Diogo Jota’s injury-time winner in front of fourth official John Brooks before making harsh post-match comments about referee Paul Tierney, accusing him of lying and having a problem with Liverpool.
The FA has sanctioned Klopp twice for his conduct, which began when Spurs were awarded a 93rd-minute free-kick, which resulted in Richarlison’s equaliser. Liverpool hero Jota then scored at the other end after a defensive blunder, triggering loud celebrations, and Klopp was booked for his actions.
‘Giving Liverpool £30,000 fine is nothing’ – Ref Support CEO wants harsher punishment for Reds
In a high octane game which saw two stoppage time goals, including a Spurs equaliser and a Liverpool winner, Jurgen Klopp accused referee Paul Tierney of having a vendetta against his team. The CEO of Ref Support UK has now served the FA an ultimatum to dock Liverpool points following Klopp’s comments on Tierney.
It came after Diogo Jota gave Liverpool a thrilling 4-3 victory over Tottenham, who had come from 3-0 down to equalise late on through Richarlison. Klopp was booked for obstructing fourth official John Brooks while celebrating Jota’s late winner.
He is now facing an FA accusation for his verbal assault on Tierney. Martin Cassidy, CEO of Ref Support UK, believes Liverpool should be penalised with a point deduction, and merely a fine won’t curb such incidents. He told the Express:
“Unless the FA start addressing this behaviour with a points deduction it will never change. Giving Liverpool a £30,000 fine is nothing. Start giving them points deductions and watch them shut up and behave. We believe that will be one of the silver bullets right across football to address right up from grassroots to the Premier League.
“There have been touchline bans for decades, but it’s not getting better, it’s getting worse. I don’t know how he (Jurgen Klopp) can justify the actions which he’s been doing since his days at Dortmund. I don’t accept his argument of passion. As a Liverpool fan was Bob Paisley, Kenny Dalglish or Bill Shankly not as passionate as Jurgen Klopp? Of course they were but they didn’t display the same behaviour as him.”
Klopp had told Sky Sports in his post-match presser duties:
“We have our history with Tierney, I really don’t know what he has against us. He has said there [are] no problems but that cannot be true.”
Following the game, the PGMOL issued a statement to “strongly refute” Tierney’s claims. Cassidy backed them up, saying that Tottenham interim manager Ryan Mason was upset after Tierney failed to send Jota out for a high boot on Oliver Skipp. Cassidy added:
“So these two people are having completely paradoxical arguments about it. So both managers are eluding that the referee is either biased or incompetent and it’s just what happens in a game now. It’s an inward look from managers and people need to realise the hypocrisy of football.
“They always say referees aren’t accountable, but if Mo Salah misses a penalty the following week he plays. If a referee doesn’t give a penalty which is perceived as an error they want him dropped down to the lower levels. There is an imbalance of accountability there.”