Jose Mourinho blasts Jurgen Klopp's touchline behaviour after Tottenham Hotspur lose at Anfield
Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho has slammed Jurgen Klopp for his behaviour on the touchline during his team's 2-1 loss to Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday night.
Klopp was incensed on multiple occasions by refereeing decisions and was animated in his remonstrations with fourth official Mike Dean.
After the full-time whistle, Dean had to step in again as Klopp and Mourinho seemed to have a verbal battle between themselves.
After the game, Mourinho was asked about the incident with Klopp at the end of the game. He said:
"The best team lost and he disagreed but that's his opinion. If I behave that way on the touchline I have no chance to stay there. I am out in a minute."
Mourinho dismissed suggestions that Klopp's behaviour could be put down as just a manager being animated on the touchline.
"That's animated? Or do you want me to take the table with the board from the fourth official."
The best team lost, says Jose Mourinho
Jose Mourinho was also adamant that Tottenham Hotspur were the better team in their loss at Anfield. After a first half in which Liverpool were dominant, the Portuguese manager would have been happy to see his side go into the break level.
In the second half, Spurs missed two great chances as Steven Bergwijn hit the post, and Harry Kane missed a free header.
Mourinho continued:
"So close to winning, yeah, not so close of a draw - so close of winning. We missed the chances, we had the chances, had the game under control, a draw would be a bad result - so you can imagine how we feel with a defeat."
"Very good performance, of course some mistakes, some things to improve, a very unfair result."
Tottenham Hotspur were undone by a late winner from Roberto Firmino. They failed to defend well on a Liverpool corner, and that cost them.
Toby Alderweireld was supposed to mark Firmino from the corner but let the Brazilian run free and was made to pay for it.
Jose Mourinho said:
"My team told me I am right when I say from the beginning of the season we go to every match to win. We played against the champions in their stadium and we had the best chances to win."
"The team was brilliant. Today Liverpool didn't look a team that is champion, European champion, world champion - that difference was not on the pitch. We are together for not a long time. Of course the result is the most important."
Liverpool moved to the top of the Premier League table with that win, three points ahead of Tottenham Hotspur.