Jurgen Klopp hasn’t at all times had the most effective of relationships with Premier League referees, however one title tends to resurface greater than most.
The usual of officiating in England has come beneath fireplace at numerous factors in latest occasions, with the Liverpool boss by no means shy in making his emotions identified when selections go towards his facet.
Paul Tierney has felt the brunt of that greater than most, however largely as a result of he has made a disproportionate variety of controversial calls on the expense of the Reds.
Regardless of coming away with a 2-0 victory, the Boxing Day conflict with Burnley noticed the referee lose much more favour with Liverpool followers after he disallowed two additional targets scored by Harvey Elliott and Cody Gakpo.
Right here’s a have a look at a few of Klopp’s most memorable strains when discussing an official he has loads of earlier with!
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“I’ve no issues with any referees, solely you”
Maybe Klopp’s most well-known Tierney quote got here after an action-packed 2-2 draw away to Tottenham again in December 2021, when he instructed Tierney: “I’ve no issues with any referees, solely you.”
It got here after the Reds missed out on what would have been an important three factors in North London, when Tierney despatched Andy Robertson off for a sort out that regarded equally, if not much less harmful, than a Harry Kane problem in the identical contest.
That was removed from the primary time the 2 had clashed, nonetheless, with the Liverpool boss instructed to “recover from it” by Tierney after the referee failed to offer a free-kick for a foul on Gini Wijnaldum within the title-winning season of 2019/20.
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“What he mentioned to me was not okay”
There have been sufficient incidents between the 2 for Klopp to affectionately, let’s say, give the nickname of “Mr. Tierney” to his favorite Premier League official.
Talking after he was booked for extreme celebration throughout final season’s dramatic 4-3 win over Tottenham, Klopp was sad with feedback despatched in his course by the official, the extent of which he wasn’t prepared to disclose on the time.
“What he mentioned to me was not okay,” had been the supervisor’s phrases after the sport.
“Now we have to ask Mr. Tierney what’s going on.”
Klopp later insisted that that dialog had been one thing of a misunderstanding, however that doesn’t look to have helped easy issues over.
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“We had our points”
The supervisor was extra pragmatic in his method to reacting to Robertson being elbowed by Tierney’s assistant Constantine Hatzidakis throughout Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal earlier this yr.
The German saved himself out of bother by merely saying: “I feel there are some issues we may speak about however they aren’t actually useful, and that’s why I would favor to not speak about it.
“However we had our points with some referees.”
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Frosty relationship
The beginning of the feud dates again to 2017, when Dominic Solanke was unlucky to be denied a purpose by offside in a call which Klopp described as “unfortunate.”
Tierney additionally did not award a penalty for a blatant foul on Sadio Mane towards Newcastle again in 2020, in addition to prematurely blowing the whistle for half time whereas the Senegalese ahead was via on purpose towards Man United the next month.
The pair are unlikely to see eye to eye any time quickly, however Tierney’s performances have seen him not too long ago obtain a uncommon feat in being namechecked in a track on the Kop.
Let’s hope we don’t see a lot of him between now and Might!
