Klopp plays down Koeman spat

Jurgen Klopp was eager to play down claims from Everton that the Liverpool staff were over-protesting to the referee in Saturday’s Merseyside derby.

Everton boss Ronald Koeman was quick to point the finger in the immediate aftermath of the Reds’ 3-1 win at Anfield, claiming there were bad challenges from both teams but the reactions from the respective benches were quite different.

But Klopp was happy to put the matter to bed and focus on Wednesday’s home clash with Bournemouth.

He told reporters: “His mistake is to say both sides made bad challenges, I can’t remember one from our side.

“But it’s not a problem, we are emotional, not only myself. It’s not worth saying, it’s not too serious, it’s already done. My boys are emotional, [but] they never ask for something they are not sure about.

“It wasn’t a big issue during the game so we shouldn’t make it bigger than it actually was.”

Klopp: “They have no points to waste, we have no points to waste. We will fight for every last point.” pic.twitter.com/LzVISQYNPh

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 4, 2017

More pressing for Klopp is the fight for a top-four place with Liverpool currently third in the Premier League table, six points above Manchester United in fifth.

Bournemouth beat Klopp’s men earlier in the season but the German insists it was a defeat that has proved beneficial in the long run.

He added: “We learned a lot [from that 4-3 defeat]. One situation changed the game. We felt too confident in a specific moment.

“We are responsible for all the results. You learn the hard way.

“Bournemouth also played a derby [at the weekend, against Southampton] and now they have to play at Anfield. That’s not the best thing I could imagine.

“We’ll fight for each point of these last 24 [available] for us.”