Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp orders VAR change and explains worry he has over Reds players
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is not happy with VAR delaying matches and putting his players at risk of injury.
Posted Monday, December 30, 2019 by Express.co.uk
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has bemoaned the slowness of VAR in the Premier League at the moment following his side’s 1-0 win over Wolves. The match was slowed on several occasions with goals being reviewed by the system.
And Klopp is concerned that players standing around in the December conditions is not good and could cause problems.
Sadio Mane netted the winner for Liverpool to extend the Reds’ lead at the top of the Premier League to 13 points over Leicester and they also have a game in hand over the Foxes.
“We are in December and coming into January,” Klopp said.
“Players standing around that long waiting is not good. I would prefer if referees going to the screen.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has had his say on VAR
“I think the first situation it would help. But if you think offside, then it takes a while. But with the possible handball it could be quicker.
“That's how we do it England at the moment. We were on the other side of VAR decisions at Aston Villa. These things happen, nobody likes it.”
Klopp also opened up on the belief of fans that this could finally be the club’s year to win the Premier League.
He explained: “I think our fans are exactly like the team is: they are not interested in the moment, they don’t want to celebrate now and stuff like this.
“They take it like it is. They dig in in a game like today and today I liked it a lot how the fans were: really in the game, this was a game when the crowd can be nervous and they weren’t, so that’s good.
“We are a unit so we fight until somebody says ‘you have enough points or not’. We will see but it is not about belief.
“If we would not be confident it would be really crazy but it’s not about knowing or wanting to know that it’s already done.
“That’s just a game with the media. Can you imagine really if you asked me ‘do you think it’s done?’ and I sat here and said ‘yeah, I think it’s done – we’ll still play of course, but I think it’s done’. That would be really crazy.
“It’s now five, six or seven weeks and you ask that question constantly and as a normal human being I have the same answer because it is not done.
“So discuss it if you want, ask me if you want, but don’t expect a different answer.”
Klopp is refusing to get carried away with Liverpool’s dominant position in the table and insists there is still a long way to go.
He said: “No different to before the game, to be honest. It is a long way to go for all of us.
“Everybody asks me how was my 2019; my 2019 was brilliant but it’s not important because we count seasons not years so the 2019-20 season is not over.
“We are halfway there, we still have 19 games to play and probably 18 or 19 of them will be like this tonight, for different reasons.
“We will now face teams who fight for the league with all they have, then the fight for the Champions League and European spots is reopened again so they will fight with all they have and we have to be ready.
“Who cares about points in December? We just created a basis which we will work with from now on, that’s all.”
Liverpool return to action against Sheffield United at Anfield on January 2 in the Premier League (8pm).
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