Jurgen Klopp admits Simon Mignolet was ‘lucky’ not to be sent off in Liverpool’s win over Stoke City.
Wednesday’s comprehensive 3-0 win for the Reds was overshadowed by claims Mignolet should have been dismissed for bringing down Mame Biram Diouf.
Stoke boss Mark Hughes heavily criticised referee Martin Atkinson for only cautioning the Belgium international for the challenge on the edge of his area.
And now Klopp has admitted his side were fortunate not to go down to ten men at a time when they held a slender one-goal lead at the Bet365 Stadium.
He said: “First of all I think it was the first time that we were lucky in a situation.
“I have to admit that we were lucky when I saw it after the game.
“I was 100% sure it was the right decision because I thought Joe Gomez was in a different position so I didn’t realise that it was 100% a goal after that.
“It wouldn’t have been a penalty because it was outside of the box but yes if there was a red card for Simon Mignolet we could not have argued.
“I understand that he (Hughes) is not happy about the decision but that’s all. I don’t think that refs need to be more punished than they are already.
“In the situation after the game everyone is talking about them. The best thing after a game is that nobody speaks of the referee but that doesn’t happen too often.
“You want to have fair decisions. It was very often for us this season that it was not in our fortune but this time we were lucky.
“I respect and like Mark a lot so I can imagine that he thinks that was a decisive moment in the game but that’s how it is.”