Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has welcomed Pep Guardiola’s anger and feels it has helped to reduce the attention on his own rant.
Manchester City manager Guardiola was fuming after Manchester City’s 2-1 win over Burnley, with prickly exchanges during his television interviews and post-match media conference.
The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss has since moved to clarify remarks that surfaced following the match suggesting he was close to retirement.
Liverpool, meanwhile, drew 2-2 at Sunderland, a result that ended a run of four straight victories, although Klopp’s post-match criticism of referee Anthony Taylor has not drawn the same publicity.
“It was strange for me,” Klopp said ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup third-round match at home to Plymouth Argyle.
“At the end we were all frustrated. You couldn’t expect the best performance of the season.
“We got a point but it felt like a defeat. I was glad that Pep then had his press conference and nobody spoke about mine!
“It was my first experience with a fixture like this. I couldn’t judge the game after the game.
“Sunderland did really well. It is still difficult to play them at home. [They are] well organised.”
Klopp is happy with Liverpool’s first half of the season, with the Reds second in the Premier League table on 44 points from 20 games.
The manager said: “When we met together in June we had no big dreams but we thought we could play a good season.
“We had no time to celebrate having 43 points [before the Sunderland game]. It is only a base for the rest of the season. We have to keep going.
“I told the boys after Sunderland: ‘So far, so good’. We have to keep on going. Not perfect, but we are all in a good way.
“What am I dreaming about? Success and staying healthy and fit. We had a lot of injuries but we coped with it OK.
“We know more about us. At the start of the season it was imagination. We thought it could work, now we know it could work.”
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