Jürgen Klopp has been charged with misconduct by the Football Association over his celebratory pitch invasion in Sunday’s Merseyside derby.
The Liverpool manager sprinted on to the Anfield pitch to embrace the goalkeeper Alisson following Divock Origi’s dramatic 96th-minute winner against Everton. He later admitted his reaction was “not cool” and claimed to have apologised to Marco Silva on the final whistle. The Everton manager countered there had been no apology from Klopp but he may have reacted the same under similar circumstances.
Following receipt of the referee Chris Kavanagh’s match report on Monday morning, the FA has charged the Liverpool manager and given him until Thursday to respond. Klopp could be fined, warned about his future behaviour or suspended depending on whether or not he is deemed guilty.
A statement from the FA read: “Jürgen Klopp has been charged with misconduct relating to his behaviour in the 96th minute of the game between Liverpool and Everton yesterday. He has until 6pm on 6 December 2018 to respond to the charge.”
Merseyside police are investigating reports that objects were thrown from the Everton section on to the pitch during the derby. A blue flare landed on the pitch at the end of the game while other items appeared to be thrown at players involved in a late mêlée. No one was injured but police are studying CCTV footage to identify those responsible.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has described Origi’s freakish late winner, plus Riyad Mahrez’s 86th-minute penalty miss for Manchester City at Anfield in October, as “massive” moments in Liverpool’s favour as they pursue a first league title since 1990.
“They’re massive,” Alexander-Arnold said. “Keeping a clean sheet gives us the foundation to go and do these things. If we’re one nil down and score in the last minute it’s only one-all. So it’s important to keep the clean sheet. It’s massive for us. I think we’ve shown with PSG at home and then Chelsea away and now Everton – three times this season – that something that we’re doing is staying in games and then producing in the last minutes.”
Liverpool, meanwhile, could be without Sadio Mané for Wednesday’s visit to Burnley. The in-form forward suffered a deep cut to his foot during the derby and was unable to train on Monday.
