After Burnley had ruined Liverpool’s one hundred percent record at Anfield in the 2019/20 season, Jurgen Klopp sought to defend his side by blaming the referee for the lack of three points.
When Andy Robertson had powered home a delightful header just after the half hour, it was no more than the hosts deserved, but they failed to build on it.
Burnley clawed themselves back into the game and eventually drew level through Jay Rodriguez, before a few decisions which didn’t sit well with the German.
“It was a really good game but we left the door open for Burnley and we should have closed it,” Klopp said after the match, and cited by the Daily Mirror.
“We should have scored two, three or four goals at least. The referee let lots of challenges go so it was clear that if the ball comes into the box it was dangerous. They did what they are good at and I respect that.
“[…] It’s our fault because we should have closed the game but we didn’t do. Burnley is a team who stay in the game and they have two top strikers who constantly go for each ball.
“It’s an intense period and at the end we were pushing up and they are always dangerous. That’s why you have to take your chances. But we stand here with only one point and that is not exactly what we wanted.
“[…] We didn’t close the game and they took their moment. It feels like we lost a game, we have to look after the game better. We were angry with the referee but we have to criticise ourselves first for not finishing the game.
“The team do it right 99 per cent of the time but I will never stop criticising them.”
As the game wound down into the business end, the Reds came back into their own and peppered Nick Pope’s goal with a number of shots, but the custodian was equal to anything that came his way.
Klopp’s ire shows how much Liverpool being at their absolute best every week means to him.
The title is already won but that isn’t enough as, clearly, there are still records to be set. It’s that type of mentality that has kept Liverpool ahead of everyone this season, so Burnley deserve great credit in stopping them winning yet another game.