Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp handed two-match ban, he won't be pitchside for Aston Villa clash

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been hit with a one-match ban for criticising referee Paul Tierney, with a further game suspended until the end of next season.

Klopp won't be allowed at pitchside for Liverpool's final home game of the season against Aston Villa on Saturday, when Roberto Firmino, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita will bid farewell to Reds supporters.

He has been punished by the FA for his actions in Liverpool's dramatic 4-3 win over Tottenham last month.

Klopp accused referee Tierney of saying something "unacceptable" after being shown a yellow card for celebrating Diogo Jota's late winner in the face of fourth official John Brooks.

He later claimed that Tierney had "said to me 'for me, it's a red card, but because of [the fourth official], it's a yellow'."

Klopp's claims were quickly refuted by the body responsible for English referees, PGMOL, and the FA subsequently launched an investigation into his post-match allegations.

Klopp has now been slapped with a two-game ban, in addition to a £75,000 fine, after the FA judged that his comments constituted 'improper conduct as they imply bias, question the integrity of the referee, are personal, offensive, and bring the game into disrepute'.

The first match of Klopp's ban is 'effective immediately', ruling him out of Saturday's match against Villa, while the second is suspended until the end of 2023-24 on the condition he does not commit further breaches.

It means Klopp's assistant manager Pep Lijnders will take charge of the side this weekend in what is a crucial match for the Reds in their pursuit of a top-four finish.

Liverpool are currently just outside the Champions League places in fifth.

They are one point behind third-place Newcastle and fourth-place Manchester United, having played one game more than the two sides directly above them in the league.

Newcastle take on Brighton in the Premier League on Thursday night, before facing Leicester on Monday.

United, meanwhile, travel to face Bournemouth on the same afternoon Liverpool take on Villa.

Topics: Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp, Football, Premier League

Rory O'Callaghan

Rory O'Callaghan is Editorial Lead at SPORTbible. He has previously worked for Sky Sports News, MailOnline and Reach covering football, cricket, boxing and MMA. Tested daily as a Liverpool fan in a Manchester office.

@rory_ocallaghan