Klopp questions red card shown to Jota for foul on Udogie; Tottenham defender should have been sent off too

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was left bemused by some of Simon Hooper's refereeing decisions during his side's 2-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday evening.

Apart from the legitimate goal scored by Luis Diaz which was canceled, another talking point from the game was the dismissal of  Diogo Jota in the 69th minute for two quick-fire challenges on Tottenham Hotspur left-back Destiny Udogie.

Jota was yellow carded in the 68th minute for a foul on the Italy U21 international of Nigerian descent and was sent off less than two minutes later. 

For the first yellow card shown to Jota, replays suggested that Udogie clipped his own heels and the Tottenham Hotspur left-back was lucky not to be sent off as he was on a yellow card and gestured to the referee to book the Liverpool striker, which is a yellow card offence.

In the third minute of first half stoppage time, Udogie was booked  after tripping up Cody Gakpo.

Reacting to the red card incident involving Jota midway through the second half, Klopp told Liverpool's official website post-match:"First red card from Alexis [against AFC Bournemouth] was not a red card, we had to play already I don't know how long with 10 men, second [for Virgil van Dijk at Newcastle United] is for a normal foul I would say, third is now for that situation and the fourth I will never understand. "

The German tactician added: "We defended, yes, but the two situations, the first I think is clear not a yellow.

"The second then I didn't see actually back, but it's not important because if the first is not a yellow then maybe the second is not and we still play with 10 men."

Currently on three yellow cards, Udogie is walking a disciplinary tightrope as he would be given an automatic one-match suspension if he collects two more yellow cards within the next twelve games. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

Photo Credit: liverpoolfc.com

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