Jurgen Klopp accuses Brentford of ‘stretching the rules’ & bemoans Bryan Mbeumo goal

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has hit out at referee Stuart Atwell’s decision to allow Bryan Mbeumo’s goal in the Reds’ 3-1 loss at Brentford on Monday, while he also stated that the Bees know how to ‘stretch the rules’.

An own goal from Ibrahima Konate and a header from Yoane Wissa saw Brentford go 2-0 up, before Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain pulled one back just after half-time.

Despite Liverpool’s 73% possession, they were unable to carve the hosts open, and Mbeumo sealed the win on the counter in the final five minutes.

However, the Reds were furious that this goal was allowed to stand as he had won a physical duel with the towering Konate beforehand.

Speaking to the press post-match, Klopp claimed that Wissa’s goal effectively killed the game anyway, but Mbeumo’s should have been chalked off regardless.

“In the moment where you try to settle in a game, we concede a third goal which should have been disallowed,” he said.

“It’s a full throttle sprint from two players and when you get a push in this moment, you lose balance and go down. It’s a little situation in a little way but Stuart Atwell saw it differently and VAR who checked it, they hide in these moments behind the phrase ‘it’s not clear and obvious’.

“So the second goal decided the game, third goal shouldn’t have been allowed and we should have played better.”

Klopp was also quick to praise the job Brentford head coach Thomas Frank has done, though did not that they use a number of illegal manoeuvres when attacking set pieces.

“When I say they stretch the rules on offensive set pieces, don’t get me wrong, it’s smart. But they do,” he said.

“If you single out all the situations, you would see five fouls. But because it’s so chaotic, nobody sees it in the end. It’s good. It’s really, really good.”