Jose Mourinho claims Jurgen Klopp gets away with more on touchline than him
Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho has again claimed that he is treated unfairly in comparison to Liverpool counterpart Jurgen Klopp.
The pair clashed back in December after Spurs‘ 2-1 loss to Liverpool, after which Mourinho claimed ‚the better team lost‚ and questioned how Klopp and Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola get away with being so animated on the sidelines.
Klopp was also recently caught in a fiery exchange with Burnley’s Sean Dyche, and Mourinho claimed he had to learn new behaviour after realising he wouldn’t get away with those antics because of his reputation.
„In my case, I felt an evolution. I felt an evolution on the emotional control,“ Mourinho said of his touchline antics (via Sky Sports News). „I felt an evolution in that the calmer I am, the better I can read the game. And I’m even happy that my assistants, they look to the touchline sometimes for communication and I stay in a privileged position.
„And I felt that I had to change my behaviour, which I’m really happy with. That’s my personal case. I cannot speak for other guys.
Jurgen Klopp & Sean Dyche had a heated exchange in the tunnel at half-time ?? pic.twitter.com/4SwQejbBqh
— Soccer AM (@SoccerAM) January 21, 2021
„What I can say, is when I didn’t behave well, I paid the price. And I paid the price in two ways: one was to see matches on TV in the dressing room and another price was big-money fines and I feel that, for some of the other guys, it doesn’t happen the same.
„It doesn’t happen the same with them. But, if the referee and the fourth official are there to do that job, I just hope they do that job and act the way they have to act.“
Liverpool have won their last five #PL matches against Spurs – they have never won six in a row against them#TOTLIV pic.twitter.com/tK1zORLnwL
— Premier League (@premierleague) January 28, 2021
This fixture was a top-of-the-table clash in December, but both sides have fallen out of the top four in the weeks since. Liverpool are currently in fifth, with Spurs one point behind with a game in hand.
A win for either team would carry them above West Ham and into fourth, so emotions will likely to be high as there is a lot at stake.