It’s all laughs and funny quotes when Liverpool is winning. But when defeats arrive, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is gloomy, nervous and has an excuse. A lots of them. And the most common of them all are referees. The German tactician again complained about the ‘men in black’ and VAR after a loss to Brentford, even comparing them to a ‘microwave’. Klopp’s reasons for the fifth defeat of he season were not bad play, Nunez’s inability to score again, or more goals from crosses, but the referees.Jamie Carragher: “It’s not a Jürgen Klopp’s team and I want to know why. They are trying to play the Jurgen Klopp way but without Jurgen Klopp players.”I don’t know if it’s something to do with Pep Lijnders who has a big influence.” pic.twitter.com/YunFlbza0C— LiverpoolGoals (@Liverpoolgoals_) January 2, 2023 Speaking to the journalists after the match, the German coach Klopp said Brentford were ‘stretching the rules’ with their pushing and holding, especially at set-pieces, and thought Bryan Mbeumo’s third goal should have been ruled out for a foul on Ibrahima Konate. He also said he talked to the referees, but nothing came out of it.“Yeah, but actually that’s exactly the same as I would talk to my microwave, you get no response, really. It’s always the same. Before the season they gave us advice that the players have to be careful in these moments because the refs will have an eye on it. You see in these games pretty much everything is allowed, it’s always on the edge and they are using it. I don’t expect anything in our favor, I just think a foul is a foul, holding is holding and pushing is pushing. They stretch the rules in these moments. They are really pushing, really holding. The refs…that’s obviously what you can do. They stretch the rules in offensive set pieces. Don’t get me wrong it’s smart but they do. If you single out the situations you will find five fouls but it is so chaotic nobody sees it. But it is what they do and it is really good” said Klopp after the game.Klopp: ‘I deserved the red card’But unlike his coach, Andy Robertson didn’t have any complaints over Brentford win. In fact, the Reds defender pointed out to his team’s mistakes and claimed that the Bees’ win was clean.“Obviously we didn’t do what we were supposed to do. It’s as simple as that. We didn’t have any runners in-behind, we didn’t have anyone high and wide, we didn’t have anyone in spaces, we couldn’t keep the ball, we lost the second balls, balls in-behind they dealt with, set-pieces they dealt with. So yeah, when you all add all those things up, you’re never going to get a result at this place. You go in at half-time at 2-0 down and you have to fight an uphill battle. I don’t think we can have any complaints about the result, about where the three points went, I think Brentford deserved it and that’s why we find ourselves in the position that we’re in” said Robertson.ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE – Matchday 19MondayBrentford – Liverpool 3-1 (2-0)/Konate 19 og, Wissa 42, Mbeumo 84 – Oxlade-Chamberlain 50/Tuesday22.45: (2.25) Leicester (3.40) Fulham (3.20)22.45: (1.85) Arsenal (3.70) Newcastle (4.60)22.45: (3.60) Everton (3.30) Brighton (2.25)23.00: (1.30) Man.Utd. (5.70) Bournemouth (9.00)Wednesday22.30: (2.10) Southampton (3.50) Nott.Forest (3.80)22.45: (2.65) Leeds (3.25) West Ham (2.70)23.00: (2.05) Aston Villa (3.50) Wolverhampton (3.90)23.00: (3.35) Crystal Palace (3.40) Tottenham (2.30)Thursday23.00: (5.50) Chelsea (3.90) Man.City (1.70)***odds are subject to change
