The Liverpool manager took aim at Manchester United’s penalty record recently, with his side having taken 15 spot-kicks less since 2018/19.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer couldn’t resist quoting former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez in response to Jurgen Klopp’s complaints, who he suggested is trying to influence referees by mentioning Manchester United’s penalty record.
Klopp took aim at the number of penalties United have won recently after Sadio Mane was denied a spot-kick in Liverpool’s 1-0 defeat to Southampton on Monday.
The result at St Mary’s leaves Liverpool and United tied on 33 points at the top of the Premier League table. However, the Red Devils have a game in hand ahead of the showdown at Anfield on January 17.
But Solskjaer, referring to Benitez’s fact tirade against Sir Alex Ferguson from January 2009, said in response to Klopp’s comments: “And that’s a fact, probably.
“That is probably going to be my answer. That’s a fact that we have got more than him, but I don’t know how many penalties they’ve had.
“I don’t count how many penalties they have, so if they want to spend time on worrying about when we get fouled in the box, I don’t spend time on that.”
Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho and his Chelsea counterpart Frank Lampard have also remarked on the number of penalties United have won lately.
“I can’t talk on behalf of other managers, why they say things like this,” continued United boss Solskjaer as quoted on MEN.
“Obviously, I felt it worked last year in the semi in the FA Cup because Frank spoke about it and we had a nailed-on penalty that we should have had that we didn’t get, so maybe it’s a way of influencing referees.
“I don’t know, but I don’t worry about that. When they foul our players, it’s a penalty. It’s just when it’s inside the box.”
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