Klopp furious after Liverpool denied late penalty as Guardiola praises Man City spirit

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said he was baffled by the decision not to award his team a late penalty in the 1-1 Premier League draw with Manchester City on Sunday, while Pep Guardiola praised his players for surviving a second-half “tsunami”.

John Stones gave City the lead midway through the first half when he poked home a Kevin de Bruyne corner before Alexis Mac Allister fired home a second-half penalty to level.

But just before the final whistle, Liverpool were screaming for a penalty to no avail when Jeremy Doku challenged Mac Allister in the box, with his boot catching the Argentine midfielder in the chest.

“Hits him on the chest,” Klopp told reporters. “Does he touch the ball before? Yes. Does that make any difference, on any position on the pitch, if your leg is that high? You can kick the ball before, and after that the foot is here [Klopp points to his chest] and you go off.”

The officials disagreed and the VAR did not send the referee to have a second look after checking the decision.

Klopp said: “Why would the guy in the VAR studio think 'Ah that's not clear and obvious'? What must you have had for lunch if you think that's not clear and obvious?”

The manager insisted, however, that he was already over the controversial moment, even if it comes back to bite Liverpool in the league title race.

“I have to speak so often about it, and I really don't care, I'm already over it, it's absolutely fine. We'd love to get it, yeah, but nothing that I say – at least I learned that – will change that.

“So would have loved to have used one of the massive chances we created. [But] for us, the most important information is we are right there. So, we go the distance. Let's see what we get for it, but the boys fought so hard