Liverpool made it four wins in a row on Sunday afternoon, defeating Tottenham 4-3 in dramatic manner. The Reds were 3-0 ahead after 15 minutes thanks to goals from Curtis Jones, Luis Diaz, and Mohamed Salah, but they left the door open for Spurs. Richarlison levelled things up in the 93rd minute after Harry Kane had pulled one back. Son Heung-min then snatched another.
Diogo Jota then appeared seconds later, latching into a mistake by Lucas Moura to score a thrilling winner in a contentious contest. After the final whistle, referee Paul Tierney was thrust into the spotlight, with both sides dissatisfied with his performance.
Jurgen Klopp accuses Paul Tierney of having agenda against Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp could face trouble with the authorities after the PGMOL published a statement “strongly refuting” his charges against referee Paul Tierney. After Liverpool’s 4-3 win over Tottenham on Sunday, Klopp gave an angry post-match interview in which he implied Tierney had a problem with his team and said something inappropriate before earning him a yellow card for dissent.
Klopp stated that he has no idea “what this man has with us,” implying that Tierney harbours a vendetta against Liverpool. Tierney was furious at Spurs manager Ryan Mason for not firing match winner Diogo Jota for splitting Oliver Skipp’s head open with a hard boot. Jurgen Klopp stood in front of the Sky cameras and claimed:
“It was very emotional of course. Especially the situation before their third goal. How he (Tierney) can whistle a foul against Mo Salah up front when nobody… the linesman is there and keeps the flag down and then the ref whistles that.
“The next situation wouldn’t have happened if we had kept the ball there. Free-kick and then the ball is in [our net], that’s not cool. We have our story, our history with Mr Tierney. I really don’t know what this man has with us. I really don’t know. He will always say there’s nothing – and it’s not true, it cannot be. I have to say. It cannot be, I don’t understand it. I’m really not sure if it’s me because he looks at me… I don’t understand it.
“I really have no problem with any people – and with him as well – but it’s just like ‘Again?!’ He was the ref at Tottenham (earlier in the season) when Harry Kane didn’t get a red card. Harry Kane – I love this player, what a player – crazy – I don’t want him to get a red card, but it was a red card in that game. And it was Mr Tierney and nobody asked him about it because in England you don’t have to clarify situations. It’s really tricky and difficult to understand.
“My celebration towards the fourth officials – I didn’t say any bad words, nothing – but it was unnecessary and I got punished for that immediately. I pulled my hamstring or my adductor, that’s fine, that’s fair. But what he said to me then, when he gave me the yellow card…”
Jurgen Klopp’s remarks appeared to be a flagrant violation of FA guidelines. The German was arrested for celebrating Jota’s victory by charging fourth official John Brooks. While Klopp escaped with a caution rather than a red card, PGMOL officials are enraged. A PGMOL spokesperson said, in a bold and unexpected statement:
“PGMOL is aware of the comments made by Jürgen Klopp after his side’s fixture with Tottenham Hotspur.
“Match officials in the Premier League are recorded in all games via a communications system and having fully reviewed the audio of referee Paul Tierney from today’s fixture, we can confirm he acted in a professional manner throughout including when issuing the caution to the Liverpool manager so, therefore, we strongly refute any suggestion that Tierney’s actions were improper.”
The FA is now under pressure to take action and punish Klopp. Jurgen Klopp is poised to face an FA prosecution following his verbal assault on Tierney. And the Reds’ manager could face a heavy fine and a touchline ban for accusing the English referee of having an anti-Liverpool agenda.