“You should not forget that when you ask the question.”
Jurgen Klopp needed very little reminding of what befell his Liverpool side, and two of his key players, on their last visit to Goodison Park.
The Reds drew with Everton on their home patch, early last season, but the biggest damage to their Premier League title defence came when Virgil Van Dijk and Thiago Alcantara were badly injured.
Van Dijk was clattered by a rash Jordan Pickford challenge while Richarlison’s challenge on Thiago saw the Spain international leave on a stretcher. Reminded, perhaps too casually, of the “physical game” last season, the Liverpool boss was suitably riled.
Jurgen Klopp on ‘absolutely incredible fouls’
Klopp had already been irked by the opening question, about Everton being on a poor run of form [winless in seven league games] and if this was the best time to play them. “That’s absolutely not important at this time,” he responded.
The German, then, gave short shrift to the following question – It was a physical game here, last year. Do you expect the same from Rafa Benitez’ Everton?
“Do you think that Ancelotti was responsible for the physicality of the game? I think not. He’s not famous for that, I would say.
“There are different reasons for it. I don’t think that any coach is responsible for these kind of things.
“Physicality is normal, but what I really don’t like is the way you mention it. Because it was not physical. There were two absolutely incredible fouls in that game, and you should not forget that when you ask the question, eh? So, that’s it.”
The rest of the interview – aired on Amazon Prime and Premier Sports – went better after that iffy start. Klopp was expecting counter-attacking from the Toffees and said, ‘We know what to expect’.
The Reds boss will have primed his players to tear into Everton from the start, and they did just that. Jordan Henderson and Mo Salah both scored in the opening 22 minutes, ensuring Liverpool’s run of scoring at least two goals in a game stretched to 18.
Everton did give their fans some hope when Demarai Gray scored, on 38 minutes. With the temperatures rising, Thiago and Lucas Digne picked up yellow cards for two rash challenges in the space of 60 seconds.
