Why Klopp agreed with Pep criticism of referee in Man City loss to Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp says that he and Pep Guardiola agreed about the performance of referee Anthony Taylor during Manchester City's 1-0 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday.

City and Liverpool played out an ill-tempered contest at Anfield, one that was decided when Mohamed Salah pounced on a Joao Cancelo mistake to score with just 15 minutes left to play. City felt aggrieved with the full-time result as a combination of Taylor and the VAR ruled out what appeared to be an opening goal from Phil Foden following an Erling Haaland foul in the build-up.

After the match, both Guardiola and Bernardo Silva were highly critical of the referee, who appeared to miss several clear fouls. It's not just a case of City being sore losers though - Liverpool boss Klopp was equally unhappy with the referee's performance, so much so that he was sent off late in the match for his protestations.

"Pep and I agreed on the touchline, we did not understand the challenges that were allowed and all these kind of things, why would you do it, [for] both sides," Klopp said to Sky Sports after the game.

"Let's play football, the game would not have been a little bit worse. But we just have to take that we [managers] are on the weak side, we have no power at all, we just stand there, and in this moment we have something switched off - I'm not proud of that, but it's the clearest foul I've ever seen in front of the linesman and he says play-on.

"And I look in your face [speaking directly to the interviewer] and I see you are not bothered about that, that's what I don't understand, that other people don't talk about it. How can you let this situation go? It's clear he pulls him down!

"And that's the difference - you are here to just watch the game, we are involved. Sometimes we get a bit carried away, that's what happened to me in this moment."

One point where Klopp and Guardiola will disagree is the disallowed Foden goal. Guardiola was furious when Taylor viewed the goal on his pitchside monitor, and sarcastically encouraged the home supporters to raise the volume once the decision went Liverpool's way. Even if the call did benefit his side, Klopp still wasn't happy.

"On VAR he only watched how Haaland pulled Fabinho down, but Ali [Alisson] has his hand on the ball. In the next situation, if he doesn't see that it's a goal. Unbelievable, but it was a clear foul as Alisson has one hand on the ball. So, that's the life we live."