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Premier League | Gameweek 19

Jan 2, 2023 at 5.30pm UK

Brentford Community Stadium

Brentford
3 - 1
Liverpool

Konate (19' og.), Wissa (42'), Mbeumo (84')
Jorgensen (2')

FT(HT: 2-0)

Oxlade-Chamberlain (50')
Elliott (9'), Alcantara (57'), Nunez (73')

Jurgen Klopp blasts decision not to disallow Brentford's third goal

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 02 January 2023

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp blasts the decision not to disallow Brentford's third goal in the Reds' 3-1 defeat to the Bees in the Premier League.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has blasted the decision not to disallow Brentford's third goal in the Reds' 3-1 loss to the Bees in the Premier League.

Klopp's charges produced a dire first-half performance at the Gtech Community Stadium and went into the break two goals down courtesy of Ibrahima Konate's own goal and Yoane Wissa's header.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain pulled one back for the Reds early in the second half, but Liverpool were otherwise nullified in the final third and conceded again to Bryan Mbeumo in the 84th minute.

Following a long ball over the top, Mbeumo nudged Konate to the floor before finishing through the legs of Alisson Becker, but Liverpool believed that the centre-back was illegally pushed.

Neither referee Stuart Attwell nor VAR official Darren England saw anything wrong with Mbeumo's challenge, but Klopp has accused the latter of 'hiding' behind the clear and obvious rule.

Brentford celebrate an own goal by Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate on January 2, 2023 © Reuters

"The start in the game was really good; we had top chances, could have – [and] should have – scored there already before Brentford had their first corner," Klopp said in his post-game press conference.

"The game got decided by the second goal in the end, which is absolutely our fault and nothing else. We got away with an offside or whatever it was. That's all OK and then we are not awake when they just go directly against our line again.

"We felt the intensity of the game and then in the moment when you try to settle again, we conceded a third goal which should have been disallowed because it is a full-throttle sprint from two players and when you then get a push in this moment, you can lose balance and you go down.

"It is, of course, not a harsh foul or whatever, it is just a little situation, whistle it away but Stuart Attwell saw it differently.

"The VAR who checked it, they hide then generally in these moments behind the phrase it is not clear and obvious. So, the second goal decided the game, the third goal shouldn't have been allowed and we should have played better."

Liverpool players look dejected after Yoane Wissa scores for Brentford on January 2, 2022 © Reuters

Klopp made no fewer than three changes during the interval after his side's below-par first-half performance, one of which saw Virgil van Dijk surprisingly taken off for Joel Matip.

The German confirmed that Van Dijk was withdrawn after feeling a slight muscular twinge, but he allayed any fears of a serious injury for the centre-back.

"Virgil felt a little bit the muscle but said he is fine, and he's a very good judge of these kind of things," Klopp added. "But I didn't want to take any risk – the physios looked quite happy when I said we don't take risks. But I think it is not an injury, he just felt the intensity."

Liverpool missed the chance to close the gap on the top four and remain sixth in the Premier League table after 17 matches - two points behind Tottenham Hotspur and just two clear of Brentford, who have played a game more.

The Reds now turn their attention to the defence of their FA Cup, which begins with Saturday's third-round tie against fellow top-flight outfit Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield.