Jurgen Klopp blasts 'unfair' and 'crazy' decisions in Liverpool's loss at Tottenham

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp reacts during the Reds' 2-1 loss to Tottenham in September 2023.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has hit out at the match officials following the Reds' 2-1 defeat at Tottenham in the Premier League on Saturday.

Klopp's side had Curtis Jones sent off for a challenge on Yves Bissouma following a VAR review in the first half and ended up with nine men after Diogo Jota picked up two yellow cards in the second period.

Worse still, it was confirmed after the game that a disallowed Luis Diaz effort in the first half should have stood, with PGMOL admitting that their offside call was incorrect and needed to have been overturned by VAR.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, Liverpool continued to compete and looked like picking up a spirited point until Joel Matip's own goal in the sixth minute of added time handed victory to Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

"I'm now relatively calm," Klopp told Sky Sports after the game. "The players were calm. It’s difficult to deal with [these sorts of referee decisions].

“I was never more proud of the team than today. I never saw a game like this with the most unfair circumstances, crazy decisions."

Klopp added that he was pleased with the mentality and spirit of his players, calling the effort 'pretty special', but could not believe the calls that went against his side.

"[For Diogo Jota] the first yellow was not a yellow," he said. "Then he gets a second and to defend with nine players is tricky. You want to build something you need players with mentality and I saw them today, they fought. Pretty special tonight."

And on the Diaz disallowed goal, he said: "I came in at half-time, one of my assistants opened their smartphone and the first replay on Instagram showed that there was no offside."

Liverpool lose their unbeaten record in the Premier League this term, but are just two points behind leaders Manchester City with seven rounds completed and can take heart from their display in north London.

"It's not cool," Klopp said. "But the performance and how we found a way in this game is incredible."

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Ben Hayward
Weekend editor

Ben Hayward is a European football writer and Tottenham Hotspur fan with over 15 years’ experience, he has covered games all over the world - including three World Cups, several Champions League finals, Euros, Copa America - and has spent much of that time in Spain. Ben speaks English and Spanish, currently dividing his time between Barcelona and London, covering all the big talking points of the weekend on FFT: he’s also written several list features and interviewed Guglielmo Vicario for the magazine.