Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has explained why he engaged in a fierce pitch-side dispute with Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.
The Reds ran out 4-0 victors over a youthful Gunners side that failed to get to grips with a Liverpool side at their best in an attacking sense in the second-half.
While the scores were level at 0-0 just after the half hour mark, both dugouts were embroiled in a heated exchange following Sadio Mane 's aerial challenge on Arsenal right-back Takehiro Tomiyasu.
Read more: 'Jurgen Klopp can't help losing the plot - but it's Liverpool's secret weapon'
Pressed on what sparked the incident, Klopp revealed: "It was about the situation that it was no foul from Sadio [Mane] but the Arsenal bench went up like it was a red card.
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"I asked what they want in that situation. It’s just not okay. We had to take Sadio off against Atletico [Madrid in the Champions League] because they wanted him to get a yellow card."
The German coach conceded he was worthy of his own caution, allowing his temper to get the better of him when facing off with Arteta.
"The referee did really well in that situation - I deserved a yellow card. It wasn't not OK and that is what I said. It just happened in the moment."
Klopp was asked whether the exchange actually fired up both the Anfield crowd and his players, to which he jokingly quipped: "I don’t know, I’ll have to watch it back – I'll do it more often if that’s the case."
Arsenal's boss Arteta faced a similar line of questioning after the game but remained coy over his thoughts on the situation.
"Nothing prompted it, I was defending my team, he was defending his," the Spaniard explained.
"I spoke to him afterwards and congratulated him on the performance, for me these incidents – they stay there, they are part of the heat and the way we like to compete."
Arteta was also pressed over whether he felt like his outburst provided extra motivation for the home crowd, but insisted that was not the case.
"I think the atmosphere was extraordinary from the beginning and I think this crowd does not need much so I don’t think it made a difference."
Liverpool eventually asserted their dominance over their opposition, Mane of all players opening the scoring shortly after the dispute just before half-time.
Second-half strikes from Diogo Jota, Mohamed Salah and Takumi Minamino sealed the Gunners fate, the game over as a contest mid-way through the second half.
The victory allowed Liverpool to leapfrog both West Ham and Man City as the Reds sit second, though Pep Guardiola's side could knock them down to third with a win at the Etihad on Sunday.
