Arsenal and Liverpool drew 1-1 in a thrilling Saturday Night Football encounter; Jurgen Klopp was left bemused at how Liverpool were not awarded penalty for handball by Martin Odegaard; the Liverpool boss also revealed Kostas Tsimikas suffered a broken collarbone
Sunday 24 December 2023 14:23, UK
Jurgen Klopp was left confused with the decision not to award Liverpool a penalty for a handball by Martin Odegaard during their 1-1 draw with Arsenal.
Arsenal ensured they will top the Premier League table on Christmas Day with the stalemate at Anfield.
The Anfield faithful, summoned by Klopp this week to make a good atmosphere, was not dampened by the early Arsenal goal from Gabriel and Mohamed Salah drew Liverpool level.
The contentious moment of the game as Odegaard appeared to handle inside the box under pressure from Salah, but VAR took a long look at the check and turned down the appeals.
Klopp told Sky Sports: "Yes I have seen it. I am pretty sure someone will come to explain it to me why it was not a handball but I don't know how?
"I don't say that the ref [Chris Kavanagh] can see it because I don't know where he was in that moment. But how can a guy in an office see that and not come to the conclusion that maybe, it could be worth the referee having another look?"
Klopp revealed left-back Kostas Tsimikas suffered a broken collarbone in the game after a nasty collision involving the manager on the touchline.
Bukayo Saka went into a challenge with Tsimikas close to the touchline, sending the Greece international down to the floor and into Klopp who was also taken off his feet. The pair clattered to the floor in a heap and although Klopp avoided any injury it was the left-back who came off worse, staying down surrounded by medical staff. He was replaced by Joe Gomez and Klopp said Tsimikas had gone to hospital with a suspected broken collarbone.
Klopp said: "It was massively overshadowed by Kostas Tsimikas' collarbone issue, definitely broken, so he is out for a long time. The other issues we will have to see. It is hard for us to swallow with the Robbo [Andy Robertson] situation.
"Of course it affected me. I had no pain but thought maybe Kostas was going to be fine. I would happily give my collarbone for him to be fit again. It is not cool when something like that happens in front of you and you are involved in that, I was not sure what even happened or if I fell on him. It is not nice to see."
When asked about the incident, Saka told Sky Sports: "I've heard he's gone to hospital, I want to apologise, of course I didn't mean it. I've gone shoulder to shoulder with him, he's had a bad fall and gone into Jurgen Klopp. I was focused on running forward as I didn't think it was a foul."
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was clearly delighted with a point at Anfield, meaning his side ended the day top of the Premier League.
He told Sky Sports: "We absolutely came through it, the boys were incredible. It was one of the most intense, hectic games I have witnessed in 20 years in this league. And that says a lot. It was two unbelievable teams that really raised the bar to a different level. Both wanted to win it and there were moments for each side even though at that end in the last 15 to 20 minutes our team really wanted to win the game and didn't find the right pass or quality moment at the end to achieve that.
"They are the best team in the world at when the ball goes out of play, you have a good chance with Gabriel Jesus and within five seconds the ball is in your box! Look what happens in the corner, big chance to score and within six seconds it's five on one. But they are so good, they have been doing it for many years, they are exceptional and a great team.
"Absolutely, [fighting fire with fire] is the intention, this is what this team is about. One thing is to say it and another is to do it against a team who plays at that level in that atmosphere [on Saturday]. Huge credit to the boys, they made another big step to believe we can go to any ground and deliver these type of performances.
"We missed some big players last year when we came here. And with the game they propose, there are certain and crucial elements if you want to win the ball back well against. Today we have done that very well. We were comfortable, we knew the game we had to play at times. And then there were other moments.
"It [being top two years in a row] shows the consistency. We have been doing it for two years now, being in the same position, being in a good position in the Champions League too. It allows us to have a beautiful Christmas dinner with our families and come back to work the next day because we have to prepare against West Ham really well."
Liverpool go to relegation strugglers Burnley on Boxing Day for their final fixture of 2023; kick-off 5.30pm. The Reds' then play on New Year's Day as they host Newcastle at Anfield, live on Sky Sports; kick-off 8pm.
Arsenal face two London derbies in their final games of the year as they first host West Ham at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday; kick-off 8.15pm. The Gunners then go to Fulham on New Year's Eve, live on Sky Sports; kick-off 2pm.
