The Professional Game Match Officials Limited has refuted Jurgen Klopp’s claims that referee Paul Tierney acted improperly during Liverpool’s 4-3 win against Tottenham on Sunday.
Klopp was shown a yellow card by Tierney for his wild celebrations in front of fourth official John Brooks after Diogo Jota’s stoppage-time winner at Anfield, just 99 seconds after Richarlison had hauled Tottenham level in a seven-goal thriller.
The Liverpool manager pulled his hamstring in the process and in his post-match interview heavily criticised Tierney, accusing the match official of speaking to him in a manner which “was not OK”.
But PGMOL said in a statement: “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 and 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.”
Klopp faces heavy censure by the Football Association for his comments and touchline behaviour.
The German escaped a touchline ban in October and was instead fined £30,000 by an independent commission following his sending-off for confronting referee Anthony Taylor during Liverpool’s match against Manchester City at Anfield.
After Liverpool had snatched victory against Tottenham, Klopp told Sky Sports: “We have our history with Tierney, I really don’t know what he has against us, he has said there is no problem but that cannot be true.
“How he looks at me, I don’t understand it. My celebration was unnecessary, which is fair but what he said to me when he gave me the yellow card is not OK.”
When asked what Tierney had said, Klopp added: “I will not say anything about it. The refs don’t say what is said so I don’t say what is said.”
Klopp reignited his long-running feud with Tierney and referred back to last season’s 2-2 draw against Tottenham in London.
Klopp said: “Paul Tierney didn’t give Harry Kane a red card but Robbo (Andy Robertson) got a red card. It was not the first time, there are so many things.”
On his celebration in front of the fourth official, Klopp added: “Of course, we are emotional in these moments. It’s difficult. It is not OK, we shouldn’t do that. Yes, we are role models but we are human beings first and foremost.
“I didn’t say a bad word to the fourth official – not at all – but I pulled my hamstring probably in that moment so, fair enough, I’m already punished.
“A fair punishment for behaving not the right away. I have pain for a few days, Mr Tierney not.”
Nicolas Dominguez earns point for 10-man Nottingham Forest against Brentford
Nicolas Dominguez scored his first goal for 10-man Nottingham Forest as they held on for a 1-1 draw against Brentford at the City Ground.
Things looked bleak for Forest as they went down to 10 men just before the hour when Moussa Niakhate picked up a second yellow card, and immediately conceded to Christian Norgaard from the resulting free-kick.
But they rallied and Argentina international Dominguez levelled soon after with a looping header that Bees goalkeeper Mark Flekken appeared to misjudge.
Forest were able to see out the remaining 35 minutes with relative comfort to maintain their unbeaten start to the season on home soil.
The draw means Brentford have now gone five games without a win as their tricky start to the campaign continues.
There was a change to the match officials’ line-up after Darren England was dropped as fourth official following his mistake on Saturday night when, as VAR in Tottenham’s game against Liverpool, he failed to act properly in overturning the decision to rule out Luis Diaz’s goal for offside.
Craig Pawson was drafted in on the touchline and his colleagues in Stockley Park had an early test as Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi converted from close range after Willy Boly’s header from a corner.
He was immediately ruled offside but it was closer than it initially looked, with VAR Michael Oliver this time consulting the horizontal lines to confirm the decision.
The game could have done with that early goal standing as a drab first half followed, with nothing of interest happening until added time when a short free-kick routine saw Norgaard advance into the box but his deflected shot was palmed away by Matt Turner.
The second half immediately brought more entertainment as Brentford were close to taking the lead when Yoane Wissa closed down Turner and the ball trickled towards the net but Boly cleared.
Forest endured a chastening couple of minutes just before the hour that led to the Bees taking the lead.
Niakhate fouled Wissa, raking his studs up the back of his opponent’s leg, with referee Paul Tierney brandishing a second yellow card.
And from the resulting free-kick Norgaard got goalside and nodded Mathias Jensen’s delivery into the corner, with the goal surviving a lengthy review for offside.
Forest’s response was admirable, though, and they levelled eight minutes later as Harry Toffolo’s cross found Dominguez and his header looped over Flekken, with the goalkeeper appearing to pull his hand away as it went over him.
The final half-hour was an attack versus defence exercise as Brentford pushed to make their numerical advantage count, but they came up against a resolute Forest rearguard.
Morgan Gibbs-White produced a fine goal-saving tackle as the Bees broke at speed while debutant defender Murillo cleared off the line from Michael Olakigbe, with Norgaard firing over from the rebound.
Forest put bodies on the line to see out 13 minutes of injury time and earn a valuable point.
That win goes down to the manager – Craig Dawson hails Gary O’Neil
Craig Dawson praised Wolves boss Gary O’Neil after their shock win over Manchester City.
The defender kept Erling Haaland quiet as Wolves earned a battling 2-1 win at Molineux on Saturday.
Hwang Hee-chan struck a second-half winner after Julian Alvarez had cancelled out Ruben Dias’ early own goal.
O’Neil had come in for early criticism from supporters, especially after Tuesday’s 3-2 Carabao Cup defeat at Ipswich, but Dawson insisted the manager deserved all the plaudits from Saturday.
He said: “A lot of credit has to go to the manager for getting us so organised, with the game plan, and getting us fully prepared for the match, which he has done for every single game. That win goes down to the manager.
“It was a massive win and it was great to see this place bouncing.
“It’s clear at times we were man to man and the players stuck to that task brilliantly and stuck to the game plan for the full duration of the game, which is great for the lads.
“It was all about concentration and keeping focused and credit to the manager for preparing us, getting us organised, and today we stuck to the plan and managed to get the victory.”
Defeat ended City’s flawless start to the Premier League season but they remain top, a point ahead of Tottenham and Arsenal – with a trip to the Emirates Stadium to come on Sunday.
“We’re all a bit disappointed now of course. We should have done more I guess,” midfielder Oscar Bobb told the club’s official site.
“We pushed for it and unfortunately didn’t get it. Leipzig (in the Champions League on Wednesday) is next, a big game ahead and then Arsenal. We’re only thinking forward.
“It’s not the greatest feeling, losing. I just want to keep pushing for more.
“It gives us the chance to prove that we’re still the best team, so we’re looking forward to it.”
The most important win – Enzo Maresca talks up Leicester’s victory at Blackburn
Leicester manager Enzo Maresca described the 4-1 win at Blackburn as his side’s “most important” this season.
The Foxes returned to the Championship summit after a hard-fought victory, during which Maresca’s men were given a stern examination from their high-pressing opponents.
Wout Faes headed Leicester into a fourth-minute lead but Blackburn’s pressing yielded rewards five minutes later as they forced a mistake that Sammie Szmodics punished from close range.
Jamie Vardy’s clinical finish restored the lead and the Foxes pulled away from Blackburn late on, as Kelechi Iheanacho’s penalty and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s exquisite strike put the gloss on an impressive performance to move Leicester two points clear at the top following a fifth consecutive away league win.
Maresca praised Blackburn’s style of play and his side’s “personality”.
He said: “Probably the most important win today since we started. I was a bit worried because of the opponent.
“They are very good, probably in terms of the way they play, the best team we have played to date.
“A complicated opponent because sometimes the winger is outside, sometimes inside, full back sometimes outside, inside. It’s difficult to have a game plan off the ball, the way you want to press because they move a lot.
“As I said, probably the best win since we started. Probably, off the ball the last half an hour, we were much better.
“The first 10 minutes of the second half, we dropped, then we started again in the way we prepared the game. On the ball, we had some good moments, but probably the goal we conceded, we lost a bit of confidence. We need to learn and keep it going.
“Very happy for the personality we showed.”
Jon Dahl Tomasson felt the result was harsh on Blackburn, but lamented conceding “soft goals”.
He said: “We are extremely disappointed with the result. It doesn’t reflect the game. We knew it was going to be tough against a Premier League side with a lot of good players.
“I think we caused them plenty of problems in the first half, with great football, great movement, rotations. We gave two soft goals away in the first half.
“Second half, we were in the game, on top of the opponent when we got a big chance to score a goal. I think they only had four shots on target.
“Then in the end with the penalty of course, which by the way I think it’s a very soft penalty. You can give it, but you’d give 10 penalties in each game.
“Then the game was over. It is tough with the result. Great effort from the lads but of course gave some unnecessary goals away. We’re learning on the job.”
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