By Daily Sports Nigeria on October 12, 2022

Jurgen Klopp has criticised referee Michael Oliver's decision-making during Liverpool's 3-2 defeat to Arsenal and also hit back at former Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann for claiming his side "lack spark".

The Reds controversially conceded a penalty when Thiago Alcantara made light contact with Gabriel Jesus in the 18-yard box, which led to the Gunners' third goal, and they were denied one of their own when Diogo Jota's cross struck defender Gabriel on the arm.

It later emerged that the Gabriel Martinelli's opener after just 58 seconds at the Emirates might have been ruled out had Bukayo Saka not been in a camera blind spot when he received the ball from Ben White in the build-up, meaning the VAR could not draw the lines to determine whether he was offside.

Speaking in his press conference ahead of Liverpool's Champions League clash with Rangers on Wednesday, Klopp said: "On Sky Sports' Ref Watch, when Mr Dermot [Gallagher] twice says the decision was wrong by the best English referee Michael Oliver... the TV ref usually always says exactly what the ref decided was right.

"Before the season, we had a big meeting with the refs and they said no soft penalties anymore. Then we've seen already this season which kind of situations we have for handball and there were penalties with exactly the same situations, but not in this game.

"We conceded silly goals, especially the second one in the first half, but between the first and second goal, we played against a team in form in the league a really good game.

"Then I get the information only later after that because nobody could show that before, Saka was probably offside around the first goal and all of a sudden a bad defending situation becomes a good defending situation because he would have been offside, just the assistant didn't see it or thought VAR would check it and VAR had no camera.

"We are responsible for the situation around the penalty situation. We should have cleared it before, but it was still no penalty. We are responsible for going through a set-piece and conceding a counter-attack, of course, and we cannot be responsible for the first goal because it was good defending and it was offside.

"It's really tricky and yes we can play better, but we didn't go to Arsenal to show how good we are, we went to Arsenal to win the game.

"We lost it in the way we lost it so now it's difficult to judge, so what did we miss in this specific game? Just the right ref decisions would have been helpful, to be 100 per cent honest, then we could judge the game. Then, if we win that game, to the outside world, our problems are completely sorted. We know it's not like that. Now we lost the game and three players and that's the exact opposite what should have happened."

The German was in no mood to tolerate Hamann's claim, either, when it was raised again in the press conference.

"He is a fantastic source, well respected everywhere," Klopp said, sarcastically.

"It [having played for Liverpool] doesn't give you the right to say whatever you want, especially when you have no idea. I actually think Hamann doesn't deserve you to use his phrase to ask me a question. Do me a favour and ask your own question.

"We have to keep fighting. It will not happen overnight."

Source Sky Sports

Posted October 12, 2022

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