I never celebrated when another team dropped points – Klopp surprised by Walker tweet

Jurgen Klopp said he cannot understand a professional celebrating a rival dropping points after Kyle Walker’s hastily deleted social post mocking Liverpool’s draw with Leicester City.

Walker and his Manchester City team-mates were grateful to his fellow England international Harry Maguire for his goal in the Foxes’ 1-1 draw at Anfield on Wednesday.

That came just a day after defending champions City had been beaten 2-1 by Newcastle United, with Maguire’s goal preventing Liverpool from opening up a seven-point gap at the top of the table.

During England’s run to the semi-finals at the World Cup a photograph of Maguire talking to his fiancee Fern Hawkins following a penalty shoot-out win over Colombia went viral on social media, with several providing amusing caption suggestions.

Walker used the picture and wrote alongside it on Twitter “So basically they thought they were gonna go 7 points clear” before quickly taking the post down.

Reds boss Klopp, who also denied suggestions he had asked for only one side of the Anfield pitch to be cleared of snow against Leicester to try and give his team an advantage, believes that such barbs should be left to supporters.  

“I don’t know what [people celebrating Liverpool drops points] that says about us, it says more about the other person I would say,” Klopp said.

When asked specifically about Walker’s post, he added: “I never celebrated when another team dropped points or lost a game, that’s not allowed. 

“I never asked anyone to clear one side of the pitch and leave the other in the mud. 

“That’s how I understand sports. You have to do your own things to try to show your best performance.

“I don’t care, I don’t understand it. For supporters it’s a bit different, for people involved I don’t understand, but it’s nothing to criticise from my point of view because I don’t understand.”

Spot of Liverpool baiting, Kyle?

Manchester City defender Kyle Walker seemingly aimed a dig at their Premier League title rivals…

The below tweet was hastily deleted by the England international. pic.twitter.com/348e8INY3j

— Omnisport (@OmnisportNews) January 31, 2019

Klopp added that he is not enlisting the use of psychologists to help his squad deal with any nerves in the title race because he has been attempting to create an atmosphere of belief since he was appointed.

“We use our brains from time to time. It’s a situation in sport, you have to create an atmosphere, mood and belief in the team over the full season,” he added. 

“In our case, over the last three and a half years. We’ve had a lot of tight games over the years. 

“We’ve got to finals, we didn’t lose them because of nerves. We’ve had a lot of tight situations and we have done it. 

“We do what we always do, we handle our situation in our own way. 

“If you want to win something, there will be a bunch of people who hope you win and another bunch who hope you lose. 

“It’s better to pretty much ignore both and then hopefully at the end of the season celebrate with the people who hope you win.”