Jurgen Klopp calls out Mike Dean as Liverpool fume over penalty controversy in Man City draw

Sky Sports pundit insisted Jeremy Doku was right not to be punished for stoppage-time high foot on Alexis Mac Allister
Marc Mayo10 March 2024

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp called out former Premier League referee Mike Dean after the Reds were denied a stoppage-time penalty against Manchester City.

Jeremy Doku left a high foot on Alexis Mac Allister in the Liverpool box but on-pitch official Michael Oliver waved away their appeals before VAR backed up his decision.

The game finished 1-1 moments later and Klopp claimed that only the likes of Dean will disagree with him. The Wirral-born former referee now works for Sky Sports as a pundit and wavered during commentary before ultimately agreeing with the decision not to award the foul.

The German told Sky: “Isn’t [VAR] there for just making the right decision and not thinking about how high the bar is to overturn it to find the right decision?

“This situation, in all positions across the pitch, is 100 per cent a foul and a yellow card.

“He hit the ball but only because his foot is [high].

“You will find people... did you appoint Mike Dean, is he working for Sky? Congratulations that’s a great appointment by the way. He will find something and all the others as well.

“This is a penalty for all football people on the planet, it’s a penalty. If you think it’s not one then maybe you’re not a football person.”

Liverpool had several chances to win the game in the second half having rallied after John Stones’ opener to level through Mac Allister’s penalty shortly after the break.

Klopp professed his pleasure at witnessing his team’s fightback against the defending champions.

He said: “Really, forget the ref things and stuff like this, I’m here for football. For us, so many things we’ve overcome this season already.

“But today we showed we are ready to fight as the race goes on. And I love that the most.”

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