Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp slams ‘ignorant’ TV presenter after kick-off comment

LONDON – Jurgen Klopp blasted an “ignorant” television presenter for making a joke about Liverpool’s next game being on Saturday lunchtime after their

2-0 English Premier League win at Sheffield United on Dec 6.

The Reds manager was furious when Amazon Prime Video presenter Marcus Buckland mentioned to him that his team were next in action against Crystal Palace in the early kick-off on Dec 9.

Klopp was speaking in a post-match pitchside interview after goals from Virgil van Dijk and Dominik Szoboszlai at Bramall Lane moved second-place Liverpool within two points of leaders Arsenal.

But his mood soured when Buckland joked about Liverpool being back in action in the manager’s “favourite kick-off time” against Palace for the 12.30pm game.

Klopp has previously complained about his team playing early on Saturdays after Wednesday evening fixtures. Interrupting Buckland, he said: “That’s really brave to make a joke about that.

“We go home, I don’t know exactly what time we will get home, we will arrive, maybe 1am or 2am tonight and then play again. We have two (training) sessions.

“It is fine to recover and then we go again. Crystal Palace play tonight as well, so it is really fine.

“It’s just not... I realise you don’t understand it (hectic schedules) as well and you work in football, so why should I explain it again. If you make a joke out of that, you are ignorant.”

When Buckland said he was not meaning to be disrespectful, Klopp added: “You were already. All good, you can say what you want, I cannot say what I want because that would be really different.”

Liverpool’s impressive form has lifted them into the title race, while champions Manchester City splutter.

City have gone four league games without a win after losing 1-0 at Aston Villa on the same day.

They are four points behind Liverpool and six behind leaders Arsenal, but Klopp refused to write them off.

“If someone writes City off, that would be the biggest joke in the history of football, that makes no sense,” he said.

“Arsenal are fighting, the next game starts from 0-0. I have no clue where it (the title) is going to end up. It is so difficult and intense with all the games coming up. Ask me again in April.”

The Liverpool boss also confirmed that Cameroon defender Joel Matip had ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament after suffering an injury in the 4-3 win over Fulham last weekend.

“It’s an ACL, ruptured, so that’s what I unfortunately expected from, that’s what it looked like. Very unfortunate, but that’s it,” he said. AFP