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.
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Should Liverpool have been awarded a penalty after Gabriel appeared to handle the ball in the box?
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.