Jurgen Klopp has branded Liverpool’s failed appeal against Sadio Mane’s ban as ‘a waste of time’.
The Football Association’s disciplinary committee upheld the complaint against the winger’s three-game suspension for his red card against Manchester City.
Mane was instantly dismissed after colliding with City goalkeeper Ederson with a high-footed challenge during the Reds’ 5-0 hammering last weekend.
The Senegal international will now miss his side’s Premier League encounter with Burnley in addition to a league and cup double header at Leicester City.
But Klopp has admitted that Liverpool’s attempts to reduce the length of the ban were in vain, hinting at similar instances which had gone unpunished.
He said: “I’m not sure if I’m disappointed, I didn’t expect anything different.
“I thought our appeal was absolutely right because it was never we said we would appeal the red card, it was the length of the suspension.
“He has already half-a-game suspension at City so I think it would have been the right decision for them to say ‘one game less’ so it would be two-and-a-half rather than three-and-a-half games.
“I actually never thought it would happen but only because I am used to things like this; it is not an English thing.
“There were a lot of situations in the last few weeks which were similar and all the other players were lucky; only Sadio and Ederson were not lucky.
“It looks really awful and it was lucky nothing more serious happened in this situation but that is football. It was our duty to appeal.
“We did it and, as I said after the game, it was a waste of time obviously. We only want to bring it in relation to the other issues.”