Soccer

Jürgen Klopp fined £45,000 over referee comments after West Ham game

Liverpool manager claimed Kevin Friend was affected after allowing goal to stand

Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has been fined £45,000 by the FA for comments about referee Kevin Friend’s performance in his side’s draw at West Ham. Photograph: Richard Sellers/PA Wire.

Thu Feb 21 2019 - 16:44

Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp’s comments about referee Kevin Friend’s performance in his side’s draw at West Ham earlier this month have cost him a £45,000 fine from the English Football Association.

Klopp had accepted an FA charge after he claimed Friend was affected by the decision to allow Sadio Mane’s 22nd-minute goal to stand despite it being offside.

Klopp suggested Friend realised the mistake and tried to make up for it over the remainder of the game.

Speaking to Sky Sports immediately after the match, Klopp said: “We had good moments, scored a goal that was offside but I think the ref knew at half-time and you saw there were a lot of strange situations – not decisive, just rhythm-breakers . . . 50-50s, 60-40s, free-kick for the other team.

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“If I make a big mistake in the first half, as a human being I don’t want to open the gap more.”

That brought an FA charge for making comments which questioned the integrity of the referee or implied bias.

An FA statement on Thursday said: "Jurgen Klopp has been fined £45,000 after accepting an FA charge for comments made following Liverpool's league game against West Ham United on 4 February 2019.

“His comments made during a post-match interview breached FA Rule E3(1), as they questioned the integrity of the match referee and/or implied bias.”

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