Jurgen Klopp called for 'normal' decisions to be made by referees after Liverpool lost their first match in 18 games against West Ham on Sunday.
West Ham jumped ahead of Liverpool on the Premier League table after their 3-2 victory over the Reds in London.
However, Liverpool manager Klopp felt that a few of the calls that went the way hosts should have gone the other way.
"In the decisive moments the decisions went against us"
Jurgen Klopp believes Alisson was fouled before his own goal and Aaron Cresswell should have been sent off for his tackle on Jordan Henderson ❌
Report & Highlights: https://t.co/AG9Qqcp8HC pic.twitter.com/9A1zMBYTIR— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) November 7, 2021
Speaking on Sky Sports after the match, Klopp discussed the two controversial moments, namely the first goal which he felt should have been a foul, and the Aaron Cresswell challenge that he felt could have been a red card.
"Key moments, obviously today," Klopp said. "I think the goals, that is clear. I think in some situations I think they can, they have to go another way.
"First and foremost, let's talk about the game. I think the goals they scored, the first one is a foul on the goalie. I don't know what the players have to do that they concede a foul against the goalie.
"The arm goes against [Allison's] arm, so how can he catch the ball when somebody pulls his arm away? It makes no sense.
"That was the first goal, we scored the equaliser and are fully in control of the game. Nothing really happened, they only went for the counter, which we didn't allow, in the first half.
"In the second half, we didn't play as clear as in the first half. So in the whole 95 minutes, I would have wished we were more clinical or ruthless in the last third.
"We didn't have enough finishers, really, over the whole 90 minutes for the possession we had. And then, of course, the second set piece that we concede is a great set piece I have to say, and in the end it was very difficult to defend when the ball is taken that well."
Klopp believes that the first goal highlights the importance of protecting the goalkeeper in certain situations.
"If the goalie takes them and puts them away then it's probably a penalty," Klopp said. "That's why the goalie has to be protected in moments.
"If a player goes up arm in arm, it is not important. But for a goalie, it is obviously an important piece of the body, and if that is knocked away, how can he make a save?
"I know people will say, 'oh, God, he is making excuses'. I'm not! I am completely calm, I accept it. I don't think we are too good to lose football games. No. Today we lost it, that's not nice, but I accept that, obviously.
"But, when we speak about the situations in the game, in moments, we just need a normal decision. Not one side, not the other side; a normal decision from a ref, and he didn't do that and that's the situation."
Should Aaron Cresswell have been sent off for this challenge on Jordan Henderson? 🤔
📺 #WHULIV on Sky Sports PL
📲 https://t.co/fszbcsgA26 pic.twitter.com/2miEPD0UIU— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) November 7, 2021
The challenge from Cresswell on Jordan Henderson was particularly concerning for Klopp, as he felt that it had a major impact on the rest of the match.
"It is then the typical excuse; the VAR says it is not clear and obvious," Klopp said. "I don't know what you need in this situation.
"I saw them now back, and Cresswell, I don't know if I am using the right vocabulary, but for me that's a reckless challenge.
"He may have touched the ball before. I really don't know. You cannot go like this. Anything can happen and then you go, 'well he touched the ball before'; you have to control your body.
"They were two situations that were obviously influential in the game.
"In the end, West Ham fought well for the three points. They are not responsible for the decisions that the ref or VAR made. So, they won the game and that's it."
In spite of his grievances with the officiating, Klopp was not above criticising his own players after they lost their first game in 18 matches.
"We lost too many balls," Klopp said. "That is why they counter-attacked; in the first half they didn't have that. We had them where we wanted them, so it was one-one; all good.
"There was only one team playing, we should have done that. It looked like we lost a bot of patience. You have to fight them down in the last third.
"To be completely self-critical, over the whole game we were not good enough. But over the whole game, agains a team with top momentum, little things decided, and there were a few little things that went against us."
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