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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Paul Gorst

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp hit with suspension following Tottenham outburst

Jurgen Klopp has been fined £75,000 and suspended from the touchline for two Liverpool games - one suspended - following comments made after the 4-3 win against Tottenham last month.

The suspension is effective immediately, meaning Klopp will sit in the stands for Saturday's visit from Aston Villa as the Reds host their final game of the campaign at Anfield before ending their term at Southampton next Sunday.

However, the second fixture is suspended until the end of the 2023/24 season, say the Football Association, on the condition that Klopp does not commit any further breaches of FA Rule E3 in the meantime.

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Klopp was cautioned by referee Paul Tierney after the Liverpool boss celebrated in the face of the fourth official John Brooks following Diogo Jota's stoppage-time winner on April 30.

After the game, the Reds manager said he was only cautioned on the advice of Mr Brooks to match official Tierney, who Klopp claimed wanted to send him off for the second time this season following his dismissal against Manchester City in October.

"Jurgen Klopp admitted that his comments regarding the match referee during post-match media interviews constitute improper conduct as they imply bias, question the integrity of the referee, are personal, offensive, and bring the game into disrepute," read an FA statement on Thursday.

"An independent Regulatory Commission imposed these sanctions following a subsequent hearing and its written reasons can be seen below."

"We have our history with Tierney, I really don't know what he has against us," Klopp told Sky Sports immediately after the thrilling match at Anfield. "He has said there [are] no problems but that cannot be true.

"How he looks at me, I don't understand. In England nobody has to clarify these situations, it's really tricky and hard to understand. What he said to me when he gave me the yellow card is not OK."

The PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) later disputed Klopp's version of events, posting: "PGMOL is aware of the comments made by Jurgen Klopp after his side's fixture with Tottenham Hotspur. Match officials in the Premier League are recorded in all games via a communications system.

"Having fully reviewed the audio of referee Paul Tierney from today's fixture, we can confirm he acted in a professional manner throughout including when issuing the caution to the Liverpool manager. So, therefore, we strongly refute any suggestion that Tierney's actions were improper."

Speaking in his press conference the following week, Klopp said: "I tried to calm down but it didn't work out properly, go into all the interviews and then I said what I said. I know [Tierney] is not doing it intentionally but we have a history, you cannot deny that.

"I'm not a resentful person, not at all, but these kind things that have happened in the past in decisive games. They didn't happen intentionally but they are still there. The referees are really angry about what I said. I shouldn't have said a couple of things but lying was not involved."

Klopp was charged by the FA and fined £30,000 in October for sending-off in the 1-0 win over Manchester City that came when the German reacted furiously to a challenge from Bernardo Silva on Mohamed Salah in the closing stages of the game.

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