Jurgen Klopp admits title race is over for Liverpool as German makes big accusation about Mikel Arteta
Jurgen Klopp has ruled Liverpool out of the 2022/23 title race just eight games into the season following their 3-2 defeat to Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
The Gunners were simply too hot for the Reds to handle, scoring within 60 seconds of kick-off and going on to net twice more. And while the Reds twice hit back to equalise, they could not respond for a third time with Bukayo Saka keeping a clear head from the penalty spot.
That puts Arsenal back on top of the Premier League table with eight wins from nine games. And you can read 16 conclusions from Emirates Stadium right here.
For Liverpool, though, it means they now just have two wins from their opening eight Premier League matches. And while the loss was only their second of the Premier League season, a further four draws leaves them 14 points behind Arsenal already.
And while they do have a game in hand, next on the agenda for Liverpool is a clash with reigning champions Manchester City.
Prior to that, Liverpool must also travel to Rangers in the Champions League. And while they look well placed to get through their group, their Premier League form continues to cause concern.
Indeed, Klopp now admits that Liverpool are too far adrift in the title race and claims they are already out of contention.
Quizzed on whether his side can win the title, a downbeat Klopp appeared to wave the white flag.
“Yeah, [we’re] not in the title race. Imagine if I would sit here and think we are nearly there. Of course, in a situation like ours, we play Arsenal, now we play Rangers obviously and then we play Man City, is that the perfect opponent for finding confidence back? Probably not!”
Klopp rules Liverpool out of title
The Reds boss continued: “But it is always like this, in a situation like this: you can ask all the questions, but my answers, I cannot change really a lot.
“If you are winning, there are five million things we could talk about, ‘He’s great, he’s great and he’s super, and the goals were outstanding.’
“Losing is always the same, the conversations are a bit more rusty. I cannot change that, I couldn’t be bothered about it, to be honest. But what you build with your hand you knock down with your backside, that’s not helpful and that’s what we did.”
To add to Liverpool’s woes, Klopp revealed worrying injury updates about Luis Diaz and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The manner of Arsenal’s winner, however, did not go down well with the Liverpool boss.
That came after Gabriel Jesus went down in the area under what Klopp described as a “made up fall”.
“What can I say now about that situation? He (referee Michael Oliver) thought immediately it’s a penalty, which is interesting but it’s his decision,” Klopp bemoaned.
“Mr England (VAR Darren England) had a look at it and thought as well it’s a penalty. We know in life if two refs think the same that is the truth and we have to live with.
“If I see the situation back, if there was contact – and I’m not sure there was contact but there might have been soft contact – the player (Jesus) was again on both feet and then down.
Klopp also points finger at Mikel Arteta
“That’s an indication that something might have been made up – but not for the refs.
“They thought it’s a clear not a handball in the first half when Diogo Jota put the ball on Gabriel’s arm. We cannot change that.
“A couple of things went against us but we are not blind. We see we could have done better in moments. In general it was a good away game against a good side. We caused them a lot of problems but stand here with no points.”
Klopp has also accused Arsenal boss Arteta of influencing the referee with his on-pitch antics.
Feeling aggrieved at the way the game was officiated, Klopp told Viaplay: “There were a couple of situations. But let me say it like this, again, the result is the result, done.
“But Joe Gomez’s yellow card, a defender, a yellow card for this throw-in situation.
“In the first half I don’t know how often and how long Arsenal were looking for an option in a throw-in yet nothing happened, and I’m fine with that.
“But Joey is there and Mikel is having a go at the ref and then he [Oliver] says, ‘okay, yellow card’ from a distance and you think, ‘yellow card, for that?’.
“So again, nothing to do with the result, just these situations, they don’t help but you’re right, they’re useless conversations [with the referee].”
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