Mark Clattenburg has criticised Liverpool boss, Jurgen Klopp over his comments about Manchester United, claiming certain Liverpool stars were equally guilty of diving to trick referees into awarding penalties.
Klopp had said United had more penalties in two years than the Reds had had in five-and-a-half years. This was after Liverpool lost 1-0 to Southampton.
But Clattenburg, known not to spare one’s blushes when it comes to the beautiful game, tore into the Red’s boss claiming he (Klopp) “sounds like a hypocrite” after he inferred that United players sort to win games by penalties.
”The likes of Mo Salah and Mane are just as capable of employing similar tactics,” the 45- year-old referee wrote in an article on Daily Mail.
The Englishman noted that “there were a couple of things to take from Klopp’s comments after that game. First, he sounds like a hypocrite if he is suggesting United’s players are looking to win penalties.”
He also remarked that the former Dortmund boss hates losing and makes him irritable while also dismissing any form of favouritism given to the Red Devils.
”But he is wrong to suggest there is an aura around United that sees them given favourable decisions,” he added. “There used to be when Fergie was there, but that has eased massively since he left.”
Ole Gunnar Solkjaer’s men will face their next test as they travel to Anfield on Sunday to face defending champions Liverpool to solidify their top spot on the Premier League log.