Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp gave a frosty post-match interview despite his ‘exceptional’ team’s performance against Newcastle.

The Reds beat the Magpies 1-0 thanks to a composed strike from Naby Keita in the first-half.

Klopp was delighted with the win but still not in the greatest of moods
AFP

And while he hailed his side, who keep the heat on Manchester City in the Premier League title race, he still seemed unhappy.

Pre-match, he once again seemed preoccupied with the scheduling of the fixture at 12:30pm after their 2-0 Champions League semi-final first leg win over Villarreal on Wednesday.

Klopp praised his players for their display in the face of the conditions.

He told talkSPORT: “It was hard, it’s clear, because of the circumstances but I thought we were much better than we could have expected, playing three days ago.

“Making five changes I thought it was a top class game against a team in form with Newcastle winning six home games on the bounce. Crowd there. Weather great. Atmosphere top. To go against that is not easy. My boys did exceptionally well.”

But when queried about the challenge between Fabian Schar and James Milner ahead of his side’s winner, he became testy.

Schar was injured in a collision with Milner ahead of the Liverpool goal but it was not a foul
AFP


Some time after Keita’s goal, Klopp and Howe engaged in a discussion on the touchline. It appeared good natured, but the Liverpool boss came out strong when asked about Milner’s tackle in the build-up.

He curtly replied: “Did you ask him [Newcastle manager Eddie Howe] already?”

“It was in front of me, it was not a foul. If [it was one] then [it was] from Schar on Milly [Milner]. Have a look. Don’t make a story. It was nothing. He hit Milly, not the other way around.”

Asked if he had been nervous about the goal being given, Klopp added: “No because I saw it. If someone said it was a foul I would have been surprised.

“It’s difficult from my position to see all these kind of things over the other side but that was here. It was absolutely nothing.”

talkSPORT commentator Sam Matterface then offered praise to Andrew Robertson for an excellent late sprint to help move the Liverpool defence up the pitch.

He believed it symbolised the drive and commitment of his players and asked if those characteristics helped him with his decision to sign a new contract.

Klopp loved the win over Newcastle in trying circumstances
Getty
Robertson put in a shift at the end of the game
Getty

But the German responded dismissively: “No. I didn’t need a sprint in the 93rd minute to know.”

After initially brushing off the compliment, he added: “Before the game we mentioned a sprint [Jordan] Henderson did against Barcelona after 84 minutes, 50 or 60 yards to close Lenglet down.

“We asked Henderson, in the 84th minute, that was crazy in that game [and he said] ‘if it was the 120th minute I would have gone’.

“We want it and that’s why we can do it. And Robbo, as a little, little, bonus got a mention in the dressing room and a round of applause for exactly that sprint.

“This group is exceptional, that’s the one reason we are where we are.”

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