Jurgen Klopp hits back at Spurs manager Ryan Mason after seven-goal thriller

It took a special, special goal from Diogo Jota to get Liverpool over the line against Tottenham Hotspur after the visitors came back from 3-0 down and scored their third late in stoppage time via a Richarlison header. However, the match would see itself go down the history books at Liverpool for Jurgen Klopp for a number of other reasons.

The gaffer appeared to have pulled his hamstring in his celebration of Jota’s goal. He ran to the fourth official to celebrate in his face and probably sprained his hamstring. Spurs’ acting manager Ryan Mason spoke about how an incident from earlier should’ve seen Jota receive a red card.

Via The Mirror, Mason stood absolutely furious that Jota did not see a red card for his challenge on Oliver Skipp and demanded an explanation as well. However, Klopp hit back at him in a different press conference a few minutes after Mason’s comments.

Here is what Klopp told BBC Match of the Day on Mason’s comments via The Mirror:

“Ryan has to worry about other stuff. They’re such a good football team, Tottenham, they have to play better football.

“They can’t just counter-attack, they have to play better football with that team. Diogo Jota has the foot high but he’s not going for the head.

“I heard Oliver Skipp could’ve had a red card. Did he speak about that as well? Wanting Diogo Jota off the pitch, worry about other stuff.”

Klopp shuts Mason

While the tackle was indeed higher than usual levels, it was clear that Jota went in for the ball and in fact, the first contact was with the ball indeed. However, one could make out that Skipp was trying to get his head down, and as a team player, understandably wanted to get the best out of that situation for himself and his team.

While the result was indeed pleasing, the not-so-pleasant part was to see Richarlison score his first goal of the season against us. They probably thought that the job was done, but at a club like Liverpool, you cannot afford to sit back and assume.

However, keeping that aside, the Reds needed to show up in a much better fashion in the second half. The next few games will for sure determine how the Reds will fare in their race for the top four.

Klopp somehow feels we cannot make the UCL next season, but hopefully, his players can prove him wrong and seal a spot in the top four. We are seven points below fourth-placed Manchester United, who have played one game less than us at this stage.

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With the likes of Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and even Brighton and Hove Albion (with two games less than Liverpool) in the race for a European spot, the Reds will need to certainly put games to bed much earlier than they did today and cannot afford any kinds of lapses in defence as well.