Klopp angrily defends dive accusations in passionate rant

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Liverpool do not have divers among the squad, says Jurgen Klopp.

In our past two games at Anfield, we’ve got three penalties, despite not having one at home in the Premier League for over 400 days.

The first one against Newcastle was soft, while the one awarded for a push on Dejan Lovren was possibly a little contentious as well – but the boss thinks all three were fouls.

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“Dermot Gallagher said [after Newcastle], ‘penalty.’ His [Dummett’s] arm was there. Do we need blood for a proper penalty? I think no,” Klopp told the Guardian.

“In that moment, if you don’t touch Mo and he makes the next step and shoots – and we know he’s pretty good at that …,” he continued. “I haven’t seen it back [with Sokratis] and I have no clue about what happened but the ref really was close to it. We don’t have divers and that was not a dive. The other one is not a dive. The ref decides it. In the three and a half years, we have had more penalties not given when they were penalties and you think, ‘hmph, hmph, hmph.’”

Attackers don’t get fouls unless they go down, so until refs blow up when a player is still on their feet, forwards have to let the officials know a foul has taken place…

This is definitely what Salah did against the Toon, although he was simply hacked from behind v Arsenal.

The amount of times he’s been fouled and not got spot-kicks since arriving at the club is crazy, so when we get given a few generous ones, we think it’s probably fair enough.

And the manner in which Salah stayed on his feet while being scythed down by a Bournemouth defender in our 4-0 victory a few weeks ago proves he’s not a dishonest player.

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