Jürgen Klopp met with the media to discuss Liverpool's heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Tottenham. The boss discussed how proud he was of his club playing with 9 men, Luis Diaz's goal being incorrectly ruled offside and the injury to Cody Gakpo.
Referee Simon Hooper incorrectly disallowed Luis Diaz's goal in the 34th minute. The Professional Game Match Officials Limited has acknowledged a “significant human error” occurred.
“This was a clear and obvious factual error and should have resulted in the goal being awarded through VAR intervention, however, the VAR failed to intervene,” the PGMO said
Klopp, however, preferred not to dwell on the issue, however.
“Who does that help now?,” Klopp said. “ Nobody expects 100 per cent right decisions on-field but I think we all thought when VAR came in it might make things easier. I don't know why, the people in the VAR are they that much under pressure? Today the decision was made really quick, I would say, for that goal? It changed the momentum of the game, that's how it is. We score that goal; it was top, top, top, outstandingly well played. In a game where you don't get a lot to feel better, you make that, that's super-important information, that's how we can hurt them, that's how we can beat them, stuff like this. So, it was super-difficult, but the boys dealt extremely well with it. We didn't get a point, I think that's what we would have deserved. Didn't get that but I got a lot out of that game and I will help the boys to feel that as well and to go from here.”
Cody Gakpo scored in first-half stoppage time but injured himself in the process.
“The biggest problem of the game, to be honest... before Cody Gakpo scored, we got a free-kick and he got injured and he is now with a brace limping down the corridor, Klopp said. “He wore a brace. He scored a goal but afterward, but after that shot he felt it even more. It was from the foul before."
Klopp was understandably proud of the club after the match, calling their effort one of the best he has ever seen.
“I told the boys directly after the game I am super-proud. Super, super-proud. I think especially with 10 men they were really good,” Klopp said…”We did everything what was necessary really well and on top of that we were really dangerous. We created still so that's good, top for us; that made everything difficult, but the boys made really the most of it, it was incredible. [The] mentality we showed was second to none; never saw something like that. That's top, top, top. Now people might think because of this very, very unlucky own goal... that we didn't get anything out of the game. I see that differently. I think I learned so much about my team, much more than [if] we would've won here and it been a bad performance. It was a really outstanding performance in a specific way. We didn't get any points from it but we will use it anyway. That's the plan.”
I'm really proud of Klopp in this presser. He could have blasted the officials and had every right to do so, but he didn't. Instead of being negative, Klopp was positive, praising his players' heroic effort. I would love to see more of that across all sports.