Jürgen Klopp has rejected claims his comments on the financial power of Gulf state-owned clubs fuelled tensions between Liverpool and Manchester City on Sunday.
Liverpool’s 1-0 win over the Premier League champions was quickly overshadowed by off-field controversies with coins thrown at Pep Guardiola, City fans chanting and writing graffiti in relation to the Hillsborough and Heysel disasters and the visiting team coach being damaged as it left Anfield.
The acrimonious fallout extended to anonymous allegations that Klopp’s pre-match comments, about Liverpool being unable to compete with three clubs who can “do what they want” financially, were inflammatory and connected to the unsavoury events at Anfield.
But Klopp, who has been charged with improper conduct by the Football Association for his red card on Sunday, said: “That is the life of people who speak in public.