The manager of Liverpool football club, Jurgen Klopp feels like referee Paul Tierney that officiated the match between his team and Tottenham Hotspur has a problem with him for failing to show Harry Kane a red card on Sunday, December 19, 2021.
During the keenly contested match that ended in a 2-2 draw, Harry Kane slides into Robertson and brought down the Scottish full-back. Despite how severe the challenge looked, all referee Paul Tierney could do was to show Harry Kane a yellow card in the 20th minute of the match instead of a red.
Liverpool bench wanted something more than that but the referee failed to consult the Video Assistant Referee over the controversial decision.
The table turned in the second half of the game when Robertson fouled Tottenham Hotspur’s Emerson in the 77th minute. The Scottish defender committed the foul less than 10 minutes after scoring for Liverpool.
Contrary to how he handled Kane’s foul, the referee decided to take a second look into the challenge by visiting the touchline monitor to review it.
At the end of the review, the referee who had earlier shown a yellow card to Roberton for the challenge decided to show him a red card.
Afterward, coach Jurgen Klopp was overheard telling referee Paul Tierney that he has “no problems with referees – only you”.
🗣 "I have no problems with any referees. Only you." 😡
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) December 19, 2021
Audio from Jurgen Klopp's confrontation with referee Paul Tierney after the game pic.twitter.com/jkcx4slwRk
Liverpool played the remaining 20 minutes of the game with a man less but were still able to maintain the 2-2 scoreline until the game ended.
During the post-match press conference, coach Jurgen Klopp told reporters that the referee has questions to answer over some of the incidents that influenced the game.
On Harry Kane’s incident, Jurgen Klopp stressed that the English striker’s punishment should have been stronger and admitted that the Robertson incident also deserved a red.
He said: “We can give Robbo a red card, it’s not the smartest challenge of his life. But that’s definitely a red card, no doubt about it. So we have a VAR sitting there, and he has a look again at the Robbo situation. Fine, that’s what he’s there for. What did he do in the Kane situation?
“And the penalty situation with Diogo Jota. Mr. Tierney told me he thinks Diogo stops on purpose because he wants the foul. If you want to shoot you have to stop because you cannot run and shoot at the same moment. It is always helpful if you have played football yourself in the past. When you see the situation back, where is he stopping? I don’t understand that.
“But it is OK, the draw is OK, we are not that crazy that we think we cannot draw at Spurs, but these are crucial, decisive situations. It’s a great pass from Naby Keita and then someone finished the situation off in a not really football, legal way. And the ref and the VAR don’t say a word. I really have no idea what is his problem with me. Honestly, I have no idea.”
🗣️ "I really have no idea what's his problem with me."
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 19, 2021
Jurgen Klopp reacts to #LFC's draw at Tottenham and expresses his frustration at the refereeing in the game. pic.twitter.com/5J7y1unOiu
But when Harry Kane was asked if he was worried he would be sent off, he said: “No, definitely not. I thought it was a strong tackle but I won the ball, although I’ve not seen it back.
“When you are playing against top sides and fighting for points, there are going to be strong tackles. They checked it and it stayed as a yellow card and we move on.
“It didn’t feel like it [a red card] and Andy Robertson said I just caught his foot. When you slow stuff down in football it makes it look worse than what it is. But that’s why VAR is there.”
The 2-2 draw has extended the gap between second-placed Liverpool and first-placed Manchester City to three points. While the draw has helped Tottenham Hotspur to the 7th spot with 26 points in 15 games.
