Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær has taken aim at Jurgen Klopp in his pre-match press conference this afternoon, claiming the Liverpool boss is responsible for his side's lack of penalties.
Solskjær claimed that Klopp's complaints about how many penalties were awarded to The Red Devils last season have made referees more reluctant to point to the spot in games involving his side, such as last Sunday's late win at West Ham.
"We just have to hope we get what we deserve," the Norwegian said, as quoted by the Daily Mail. "We should have had three penalties in the last two games. There was a certain manager who worried about us getting pens last year and after that it seems like the decisions were more difficult to give.
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"I've seen a big difference since then on. You just have to leave it to the refs and hope they make the right calls soon."
Klopp questioned the number of spot kicks Manchester United were being granted in January, after The Reds had controversially lost to Southampton at St Mary's.
"We cannot change," he snapped at full-time, as quoted by the same article. "I hear now that Man United had more penalties in two years than I had in five-and-a half years. I've no idea if that's my fault, or how that can happen."
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Manchester United scored 10 penalties last season, the joint-highest in the division and four more than Liverpool. Whilst Bruno Fernandes took the majority of them, that may change this season with Cristiano Ronaldo back at the club, a player whom his manager was quick to praise.
"We knew he was going to have a great impact on and off the pitch," the 48 year old continued. "The discipline he's shown throughout his career to make the most of it has rubbed off on his teammates.
I've been delighted with him. He's a different man to when I played with him. He's been absolutely top- his work rate and attitude to games, his communication. He knows he's not going to play every game but that's a good chat to have with me when he won't be ready."
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Bruno Fernandes, Liverpool, Manchester United, Jurgen Klopp, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Cristiano Ronaldo