Jürgen Klopp claims Manchester United get too many penalties • The Red Devils think the Liverpool manager is trying to influence the referees and denies divisions: "The penalties we received were always justified" • Today the big haters meet in the FA Cup, and a symbolic decision can only be in a duel
Solshiar and Klopp.
Brainstorming
Photography:
Gettyimages
If there is justice in the English football world for the year, 2021 then the fourth round meeting in the cup between Manchester United and Liverpool will be decided tonight from the penalty spot.
After, 0: 0, 7: 7, 2: 2 it does not really matter - the main thing is that these two teams will already solve the issue of their penalties.
This is the most logical thing to do at the end of three weeks, where 11 meters has become the main topic of conversation that accompanies the two meetings between the big rivals.
Before that in the league the business had warmed up but there was no sign of a kick from the spot or even a demand in a draw, 0: 0 so tonight there is a golden opportunity to settle the debate that is bubbling behind the scenes of this game - who is right when it comes to penalties?
Fall time
The seeds of the conflict were sown by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp after a 1-0 loss to Southampton earlier this month.
In his opinion, his team deserved two penalties from referee Andre Mariner, but when those did not burn, the German decided to make a comparison to the great rival.
"I understand that Manchester United have received more penalties in two years than I have received in five and a half years," he said, adding, "I do not know if it is my fault and I do not know how such a thing could ever happen."
Factually, Klopp is right.
Since the start of the 2018/2019 season United have received 41 penalties, while since the arrival of the German Liverpool have received 30 in five and a half years.
Last season the Red Devils set a record of 14 penalties in one season, so in terms of numbers it is difficult to argue with the German's claim.
United, to its credit it should be said, are not really arguing.
"I do not count how many penalties they received," Ola Gunnar Solskjaer responded to Klopp's remarks, "if they want to waste time counting offenses committed on us in the open, they will waste. I do not want to."
Bruno Fernandez, who alone scored nine penalties in the Premier League, added: "We do not listen to these things and they do not interest us. The main thing is that we will continue to do things well, and when we get a penalty we will also know how to score."
As far as the Red Devils are concerned, not only were the penalties fired to their credit justified - they are a product of the style of play and the squad of players.
"I think we have strikers with fast legs and good control of the ball, and the penalties we have received have always been right," Solshiar recently analyzed, and he also seems to be right.
United's penalty inflation has indeed begun since the Norwegian was appointed manager, and before that - in the seasons when Mourinho was on the lines at Old Trafford - Liverpool actually spent more time on the spot.
According to Marcus Rashford, the Portuguese was the one who taught the United players to fall in the box.
"Jose told us that if we are not smart in the falls we will not get penalties," he said about two weeks ago, and it seems that in the last two years United have been implementing this in practice.
Mind games
The quantities of United penalties have already become an issue.
In a particular advertisement for a gambling company from Ireland, presenter Peter Crouch humorously says "Penalties are given to many teams ... and United", and the message permeates.
Klopp, who is of course aware of this, chose to present the numbers before the league meeting between the teams, and to the knowledge of many not by chance.
"Obviously he's tense from the situation," former referee Mark Klattenberg stated, "since Alex Ferguson there has not been a coach who has tried to influence referees in big games like that."
Although the league game against United could not be influenced due to a lack of events in the box, when Solskjaer's team played against Fulham in the last round, Pendel was not burned to its credit after a foul on Fred.
According to her fans, the ones responsible for this are Klopp and his mind games.
Therefore, for tonight's game both teams come up with a conspiracy theory that stems from the white dot.
Liverpool are confident that United will win penalties, United are confident that Liverpool are trying to prevent them with words.
Such an argument can only be resolved in one way - a duel from the white spot.