Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp lashed out at referee Anthony Taylor for his role in his side’s 3-1 defeat to Arsenal on Sunday.
The Gunners were well and truly on top for the vast majority of the game and, aside from a two-goal advantage, ended the game with an extra player on the field after Ibrahima Konate was shown a second yellow card.
While Klopp conceded Arsenal were the better side, he questioned Taylor’s decision to dismiss Konate and accused the official of impacting the game.
“A lot of things were against of us today,” he said. “This referee gave me a red card against Man City for wrestling situation between Bernardo Silva and Mo Salah. Today, same situation with [Diogo] Jota but didn’t get a red card.
“It is unbelievable, then the of holding [Kai] Havertz on Konate for the first yellow card. Then Havertz goes down and the referee gives Konate a yellow card. Gabriel [Magalhaes] does the same to [Darwin] Nunez and no yellow card.”
Klopp insisted his side had a better chance at getting back into the game before Konate’s dismissal but felt Liverpool showed their “human” side with a drop-off in performance levels.
“Congratulations to Arsenal,” Klopp continued. “We were not good enough. I would have loved to see the game longer at 1-1. We found a way into the game. No shots on target but we scored a goal.
“Growing more into the game, second half, we had our moments and then we concede that goal. That doesn’t help. It just shows the boys are human beings. Today we were really human.
“They scored goals and were many parts better than us. We have to play better football, that’s clear. Was it a red card? Not sure. But even without that we lose 2-1 and only have one shot on goal.”
What we know
- Liverpool fell 3-1 to Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday
- Ibrahima Konate shown two yellow cards & dismissed late on
- Klopp called out referee Anthony Taylor after the game.