Jurgen Klopp is as charismatic as they come when he’s won – but has been known to show another side when frustration gets the better of him.

Sunday was yet another example as the Liverpool boss attempted – and then failed – to keep a lid on his emotions following their extra-time loss to Manchester United in the FA Cup, which ended their hopes of the quadruple. Klopp must’ve thought his side had bagged a winner when Harvey Elliott scored.

But two goals in less than 10 minutes ensured United got the better of their rivals. The clash was Liverpool’s sixth game in 19 days as they continue to battle on numerous fronts. Klopp was questioned afterwards on why his side lacked their usual intensity, with the Reds boss citing the amount of games they’ve played.

He was then quizzed on whether they were playing too many games before he walked out of a live interview, but not without a parting dig. Klopp told the reporter: “You are obviously not in great shape and I have no nerves for you.”

The Liverpool manager’s comments have not been well received on social media, but it isn’t the first time Klopp has got somewhat personal after matches. He has previous, which is in stark contrast to the manager who has been seen hugging his players and joking round with broadcasters after major successes.

A controversial penalty

Back in the December of 2017, which was Klopp’s second full season at Anfield, Liverpool were in the midst of a top four battle when they welcomed Everton to Anfield. A stunning Mohamed Salah goal looked like it would seal all three points before the Toffees landed a late penalty.

Dejan Lovren was judged to have bundled over Dominic Calvert-Lewin, in a decision that could be deemed soft. Wayne Rooney dispatched the penalty though to earn Everton a point.

Klopp spoke to Sky Sports after the game and engaged with Patrick Davison over whether the penalty was fair and if Lovren perhaps made a clumsy challenge. The German said: “The hand is like this [gestures to Davison] on his back, you saw it, if you think it’s a penalty, then do it, say it, say it’s a penalty in your opinion. Is it a penalty in your opinion?”

Everton were awarded a penalty in a draw at Anfield – which allowed them to nick a point ( 
Image:
Tony McArdle/Everton FC via Getty Images))
Davison replied: “I think it’s soft, but I think it is a penalty.” The Liverpool boss immediately hits back: “Ha ha ha! Well, then we can stop the interview, because I only want to talk to people who have a little bit of an understanding of football because I’m sorry, really, I can’t believe…”

The reporter and Klopp went back and forth before the Reds boss attempted to call it by saying: “Can we please stop this here. Do you have three, five minutes already? Obviously I am not in the mood to answer your question, and you don’t have the questions do you?”

Clashing with Kelly

Klopp has long had an issue with the amount of games in English football and especially the early Saturday kick-offs – which the stats show his team are regularly involved in. That does often mean a lack of rest time, especially if Liverpool are involved in European games midweek.

One afternoon they let a late lead slip at the Amex as Brighton secured a point with a late penalty, given thanks to VAR. Klopp spoke to BT Sport’s Des Kelly after the game and appeared to blame him for allocating Liverpool the early kick-off, only for the broadcaster to remind him that his club had agreed to a multi-million pound deal which gave BT Sport the right to select them for specific kick-off times.

Klopp said “congratulations” to Kelly after James Milner copped a hamstring injury before adding: “You work for them yeah? Hamstring. Surprise.”

Jurgen Klopp had a heated debate with BT Sport’s Des Kelly about kick-off times ( 

Image:
BT Sport)
The BT Sport interviewer then hit back: BT: “Maybe you’re firing at the wrong target. We are broadcasters, we work within Premier League rules, and Premier League makes the rules, that’s the Premier League clubs, so shouldn’t you be talking to Premier League clubs? Shouldn’t you be talking to chief executives…”

Kelly continued to remind Klopp that senior figures and clubs and the Premier League had agreed on various time slots, but Klopp wasn’t having it. “You always rely on things we agreed in another time,” he said.

AFCON a ‘little tournament’

The Reds boss also managed to hit a nerve with an African journalist, but later refused to apologise, insisting they had taken his words the wrong way. Klopp for years had to watch Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane jet off to the Africa Cup of Nations – which left him without two of his leading lights for several weeks.

He was keen to remind people of that in a press conference, but referencing the international tournament landed him in hot water. He said: “In January, there’s a little tournament in Africa, I just want to say, and I think Asia is playing games, too – South America as well, great, can’t wait.”

Shortly after Klopp was told he had insulted the players, fans, people and continent of Africa with the comment – but the Liverpool boss simply wasn’t having any of it. He replied: “I didn’t mean it like that. I don’t know why you understand it like that.

Liverpool had to let two of their leading lights head to AFCON on numerous occasions
“It’s not even close to the idea in my mind that I want to talk about AFCON as a little tournament, or the continent of Africa like a little continent, not at all. What I meant is, because people said, and if you watch the full press conference, if you wanted to understand it in the right way you could have understood it in the right way.”

The Liverpool boss also added: “I’m not a native speaker, but if you want to understand me wrong you can do that all the time. I know that I would never think like this. I never understand why you thought like this to be honest, but that’s really not OK, because I would never do that, but that’s it now.”

Champions get humbled

Klopp will forever go down as the man to ended the three decade wait for a Premier League title as he guided the Reds to top flight glory. His team ended up being crowned champions in lockdown, owing to a Manchester City loss, which meant they couldn’t be caught.

Days later and they were playing Pep Guardiola’s team – who they had just dethroned as champions. The team in blue ended up running out 4-0 winners at the Etihad and there was, understandably, a suggestion that Liverpool would slightly ease off now that they were champions.

Jurgen Klopp took issue with suggestion his team weren’t focussed ( 

Klopp said on Sky Sports after the game: “I saw a brilliant attitude, the boys weren’t behaving like someone who became champion a week ago.” However the German was then asked if, given their success, it was understandable to accept a drop off.

The Liverpool boss though wasn’t happy with suggestions that his players’ had their minds elsewhere. “If you want to lead this story by saying we were not focused on this game then do it,” he said, somewhat agitated. “But you’ve asked me twice now. I like my team’s attitude, I said that and made it clear.”

Hitting back at Keane

Back in September 2020, when Liverpool were looking to defend their league title, they saw off Arsenal 3-1 early in the season to continue their impressive start. Roy Keane commented in the studio that they had the odd “sloppy moment” but as Klopp waited to be interview he heard the Irishman.

Rather than answer the question from the broadcaster himself, he chose to address Keane’s comments. Klopp said: “Did I hear right that My Keane said we had a sloppy performance tonight? I’m not sure if I heard it right – maybe another game? Cannot be this game, sorry, nothing was sloppy.”

Keane clarified his comments, insisting he’s largely been full of praise for his Liverpool side, adding: “I’m not sure you heard me correctly there.” Klopp responded and said he would “100 percent” go back and listen to all of Keane’s insight before drawing a conclusion.