Manchester United\u2019s Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reacted on Tuesday to Jurgen Klopp\u2019s jibes about Manchester United\u2019s penalty record with the Old Trafford boss claiming that Premier League managers are trying to exert their influence on referees instead.<\/p>\n
Klopp had openly highlighted the issue of the large number of penalties awarded to the Red Devils since the Norwegian took charge in a tirade following the defending champions not getting a spotkick in Monday\u2019s defeat at Southampton.<\/p>\n
The Reds boss further claimed United have had more spotkicks in two years under Solskjaer than Liverpool have had in his entire five-and-a-half year reign.<\/p>\n
United have had six league penalties awarded to them this season compared to the five won by Klopp\u2019s men, and have been given 42 in all competitions since Solskjaer took over in December 2018 compared to Liverpool\u2019s 19 in the same period. In total, Liverpool had been given 46 penalties since Klopp arrived on Merseyside in 2015.<\/p>\n
Klopp\u2019s comments understandably hit a raw nerve with Solskjaer, whose Red Devils are now in second place and are scheduled to square off against leaders Liverpool in a crucial clash in the Premier League title race on Jan 17.<\/p>\n
When Klopp\u2019s remarks were put to Solskjaer ahead of United\u2019s League Cup semifinal against Manchester City on Wednesday, he said:<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd that\u2019s a fact, probably \u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s probably going to be my answer, that\u2019s a fact that we\u2019ve got more than them.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know how many penalties they\u2019ve had. I don\u2019t count how many penalties they have.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, if they want to spend time on worrying about when we get fouled in the box then I don\u2019t spend time on that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Solskjaer\u2019s frequent use of the word \u2018fact\u2019 is a possible allusion to former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez\u2019s infamous rant in 2009 at Alex Ferguson who was the United manager then.<\/p>\n
But Solskjaer\u2019s frustration was not only with the Liverpool boss but also with Tottenham\u2019s Jose Mourinho and Chelsea\u2019s Frank Lampard as the comments of both the Premier League bosses also referenced United\u2019s good fortune with penalties.<\/p>\n
Solskjaer quickly brought up United\u2019s FA Cup semifinal defeat against Chelsea last season, suggesting Lampard had influenced decisions in that game when Kurt Zouma\u2019s challenge on Anthony Martial did not result in a spotkick to the Red Devils.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t talk on behalf of other managers, why they say things like this,\u201d Solskjaer said.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously I felt it worked last year in the semi in the FA Cup because Frank spoke about it and we had a nailed-on penalty that we should have had that we didn\u2019t get, so maybe it\u2019s a way of influencing referees. I don\u2019t know.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I don\u2019t worry about that. You know when they foul our players I think it is a penalty, it\u2019s just when it\u2019s inside the box.\u201d<\/p>\n
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