Jurgen Klopp blasts Jose Mourinho's Manchester United tactics - 'we could not play this way at Liverpool'

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Tom Doyle14 October 2017

Jurgen Klopp aimed a dig at Jose Mourinho's tactics after suggesting that Liverpool fans would not accept the style of football Manchester United served up in Saturday's stalemate at Anfield.

United goalkeeper David de Gea made one brilliant reaction save from Joel Matip in the first half but Klopp's side failed to break down well-organised opponents.

It is a criticism which has been regularly levelled at the Reds this season but was perhaps excusable on this occasion considering the rivalry and the quality - United began the day joint top - they faced.

While United were not as dour as in last season's game here, there was no doubt Mourinho had reined in the attacking intent of a side which had previously scored 33 goals in 11 matches.

Asked whether he was frusrated by United, Klopp told Sky Sports: "It's not my right to be frustrated, I'm sure if we would play like this, we could not do this at Liverpool.

"That's how it is, obviously when you're in Manchester it's OK, I don't judge this, it's all OK."

Reflecting on the result, Klopp told BBC Sport: "[It was] a good performance, I thought worthy of three points. We were unlucky in at least two, maybe three situations - of course the big chance when De Gea made the save."

"There were a lot of good individual performances. Even when the last few games for us were not perfect, we were clear and concentrated. When an opponent has this kind of defensive approach you will not create 20 chances."

The Liverpool boss did, however, feel that his side were denied two key decisions - when Philippe Coutinho was challenged by Ander Herrera in the United penalty area, and when Romelu Lukaku appeared to catch a prone Dejan Lovren with a boot to the head.

"I felt the referee should have given us a penalty," Klopp added. "Then, maybe, it was a red card with the Lukaku and Lovren situation. Two situations, with different outcomes producing maybe a different result.

“We need to be creative and brave in a situation like we are in. We don’t score easy goals anymore so the biggest challenge is not to lose confidence and we haven’t. We carry on. I told the boys already they took the hard way when they decided to join Liverpool."

Additional reporting by the Press Association.