Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been charged with improper conduct by the English Football Association for his comments about referee Paul Tierney following Sunday's thrilling 4-3 victory over Tottenham on Sunday.
Klopp was handed a yellow card for celebrating Diogo Jota's 94th-minute winner by running towards the fourth official John Brooks at Anfield, where the German also injured himself in the process.
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After the game, Klopp accused Tierney of having something "against" Liverpool but the referee's body PGMOL reviewed the audio of Tierney and said he acted in a professional manner throughout.
"It is alleged that the manager's comments regarding the match official during post-match media interviews constitutes improper conduct in that they imply bias, and/or question the integrity of the referee, and/or are personal/offensive, and/or bring the game into disrepute," the FA said in a statement Tuesday.
Klopp has until May 5 to provide a response.to the charge.
Klopp said after the match he was angered by remarks the referee made to him on the touchline, describing them as "not OK."
In a news conference Tuesday ahead of his side's Premier League clash with Fulham, Klopp disclosed what Tierney said: "I couldn't get close to the fourth official, I felt my muscle [after pulling a hamstring]. That's it. Then Paul Tierney came over to me, I didn't expect a red. I expected yellow. He said to me: 'For me it's red, but because [you taunted the fourth official], it's yellow.' I said, 'Red card for what?'
"I went in, tried to calm down and couldn't when I spoke to [the] press. Then I said that what he said was 'not OK.' I thought it wasn't OK because it wasn't a red but I opened the box with that. I should've just said he said it was a red card. Rest was how I felt at that moment."
British media reported on Tuesday that Klopp faces a lengthy ban for his celebration, with the English Football Association expected to take a firm line to show it is protecting match officials.
In 2018, then-Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was given a three-match touchline ban for verbally abusing a referee and questioning his integrity.
When asked about a potential ban, the German coach said he regretted his actions and is bracing for punishment: "I shouldn't have said what I said, but I didn't lie.
"It's not in my hands what goes on now. We won a game 4-3 in a spectacular manner and [the] only headlines I created [were negative]. We expect a reaction because everyone tells us [a punishment] will come."
Klopp sustained a hamstring injury during the celebration, which he said would be severe enough to keep a player out for six weeks.
Information from Reuters was used in this report.