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Bruno Fernandes Hits Back At Liverpool Manager Jurgen Klopp Over Controversial Penalty Comments

Bruno Fernandes Hits Back At Liverpool Manager Jurgen Klopp Over Controversial Penalty Comments

Has he got a point?

Jack Kenmare

Jack Kenmare

Bruno Fernandes has taken aim at Jurgen Klopp ahead of Sunday's crunch fixture after the Liverpool manager suggested that title rivals Manchester United get too many penalties.

Earlier this week, Klopp couldn't resist comparing Liverpool's penalty record to United's after a number of decisions went against his side against Southampton in their 1-0 defeat on Monday night.

In fact, the German pointed out United "had more penalties in two years than I had in five-and-a-half years."

"I hear now that Manchester 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." he told Sky Sports.

"But it's no excuse for the performance. We cannot change it, we have to respect the decisions. But we can change our performance. That's our focus now."

Days later and United midfielder Fernandes has said he "honestly" doesn't care what people think in relation to United's penalty record, and later brought Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling into the conversation.

"People can talk and say what they want," he said.

"But, for me and the team, the main point is continuing to do the right things and when we get a penalty, scoring. I don't hear, I don't care, honestly. You always see what people say but I really don't care. I'm not focused on what they are saying.

"I played in Portugal and when you play for Sporting, Benfica and Porto are always talking about that kind of stuff - sometimes to put pressure on the referee, sometimes just to make some noise in the press. But, for me, the main point is when we have a penalty, if I go to take the ball to the penalty spot, I have to do my job.

"One thing I saw in the news the other day was that Raheem Sterling has missed his last three penalties [for Manchester City]. So, yes, it shows it's not as easy to take a penalty as people say. You have to work on that, you have to be focused, you have to do your job.

Image: PA
Image: PA

Fernandes continued, saying; "It's clear like that. It doesn't mean Raheem Sterling is not a good penalty taker because he missed three in a row. It can happen. It could maybe happen to me but the important thing is to score and not to listen to what people say because penalties are part of the game, for everyone."

Image: PA
Image: PA
Image: PA
Image: PA

Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg, meanwhile, has told Jurgen Klopp to stop being a hypocrite about penalties.

"Jurgen Klopp must be getting worried, because his comments last week about Manchester United and penalties were straight out of Sir Alex Ferguson's playbook," the English official wrote in his Daily Mail column.

"It was mind games - an attempt to influence referee Paul Tierney and get inside his head before a huge match between Liverpool and United this Sunday.

"Klopp was correct when he said United have won more penalties in two years than Liverpool have in his five and a half at Anfield. He was smart, because his comments could not get him into trouble with the authorities.

"But let's be clear: there is no conspiracy on the part of referees and officials. Was Klopp insinuating there is? Or was he suggesting United have players who are encouraged to dive?

"If his intention was the former, then I've got no time for that. It simply is not true."

Featured Image Credit: PA/Sky Sports

Topics: Bruno Fernandes, Liverpool, Football News, Football, Manchester United, Premier League, Jurgen Klopp