[ad_1]
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has laughed at Jurgen Klopp’s comparison of penalty records between Manchester United and Liverpool, but suggested that the point could have influenced the referees.
Klopp was offended. Liverpool received neither of their two second-half penalty appeals in a 1-0 loss at Southampton on Monday night, with a Kyle Walker-Peters challenge on Sadio Mane and the hand of Jack Stephens while blocking a shot of Georginio Wijnaldum with impunity by referee Andre Marriner.
Speaking after the game, Klopp said: “I hear now that Manchester United had more penalties in two years than I have in five and a half years. I have no idea if that’s my fault, or how that can happen. But it’s no excuse for acting. We cannot change it, we have to respect the decisions. “
2:20
Jamie Carragher analyzes whether Liverpool should have had a penalty after Sadio Mane’s fall in the area against Southampton
In response, Solskjaer said he would not waste his time counting as his team prepares to host Manchester City in the Carabao Cup semi-final on Wednesday night, live on Sky sports.
“Is that a fact? Probably,” Solskjaer said. “That is probably my answer, it is a fact that we have more than them. I don’t count how many penalties they have had, so if they want to spend time worrying about when we get fouled in the box … I don’t spend time on that.”
‘Maybe it’s a way to influence the referees’
Solskjaer referenced a penalty call that was overlooked in his FA Cup semi-final loss to Chelsea last season by suggesting a reason other coaches are highlighting his record.
“I can’t speak for other managers, why do they say things like this,” he said. “I felt like it worked last year in the FA Cup semi-final, because Frank [Lampard] He talked about it and we had a penalty dunk that we should have had, that we didn’t get.
“So maybe it’s a way of influencing the referees. I don’t know. But I don’t worry about that. When they fouls our players it’s a penalty when he’s inside the area.”
United lost 3-1 to Chelsea in July last year, but were denied a penalty late in the first half after Anthony Martial came under pressure from Kurt Zouma, with Mike Dean rejecting claims as the score remained scoreless.
After that match, Solskjaer said that “it seemed like a little bit of influence on the referees worked”, which followed Lampard’s claim that United “got some [decisions] in his favor “of the VAR towards the semifinal.
Wednesday January 6 7:00 pm
Start 7:45 pm
Previous penalties of Mourinho
Liverpool continue to lead United on goal difference, but the champions could be replaced as the absolute leaders of the Premier League by the time they welcome their rivals to Anfield on 17 January. Sky sports – if United avoids defeat in their hand game against Burnley.
Klopp isn’t the only one to highlight United’s penalty shootout record, as Tottenham manager José Mourinho has twice mentioned the number of shots from the spot his former team has taken.
Last July, Mourinho said that Bruno Fernandes “has proven to be a great penalty taker, one of the best in the world, because he had about 20 to score.”
And after Spurs’ win over Leeds on January 2, Mourinho directed another apparent taunt at United while praising Heung-Min Son for reaching 100 goals for the club.
“To get the Puskas award, to be scoring 100 goals for Tottenham and to be perhaps among the top three scorers in the Premier League without penalties,” Mourinho said.
“Some players score 10 goals a season on penalties and I’m not talking about Harry Kane, by the way. I’m very happy for Son.”
[ad_2]
