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Klopp saw his side concede a late equaliser. Getty Images
Frustration

Klopp: Liverpool made more mistakes at Arsenal than the officials

The Liverpool boss did not understand why Sadio Mane’s first half goal was ruled out.

JURGEN KLOPP DID not understand why Sadio Mane’s first-half goal was ruled out for offside, but admitted he did not think that could be blamed for his side’s 1-1 draw against Arsenal.

Mane appeared to put the Reds ahead in the opening 45, tapping home a Roberto Firmino shot that had hit off the crossbar.

The linesman ruled Mane offside, but replays showed Firmino onside when he was played in and Mane behind his Brazilian team-mate when the shot was taken.

James Milner would eventually put the Reds up 1-0 in the second half, before Alexandre Lacazette equalized eight minutes from time to snatch the host Gunners a point.

And after the match, Klopp claimed to be confused over why Mane was ruled offside, instructing media to ask the referee why the goal did not count.

“There’s only one person who can answer the question (of the offside goal) and that’s the linesman,” Klopp told BT Sport. “Ask him. If he thought the first situation was offside, I think it would be the wrong decision.”

However, Klopp was quick to point out he did not blame the referee for the result, believing his side made far too many mistakes in the draw.

“But it’s not to change anything. We have more mistakes than the ref, but it would have been cool if this goal could count.”

In addition to Firmino, Virgil Van Dijk also hit the woodwork, but the Reds looked leaky at the back at times with Arsenal putting them under heavy pressure throughout the contest.

Despite nearly leading at half-time, Klopp was frustrated with how his team performed and even went as far as to switch their formation in the second half.

“We were not compact enough, simple as that,” Klopp said. “We have to do it better, prepare the pressing better. We didn’t have that in the first half, but when we played we were immediately dangerous.

“We had situations in their box. Mo was a proper threat. We didn’t finish, were not clinical enough. Set-pieces were the biggest chances. I was not happy with the first half.”

The draw sees Liverpool remain unbeaten in the Premier League and temporarily moves them top of the table by a point ahead of Manchester City, with the reigning title holders to square off against Southampton on Sunday.

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