Klopp: I have never celebrated another team dropping points

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists he has never celebrated another team dropping points and does not understand those in the game who do.

After Liverpool's 1-1 draw with Leicester on Wednesday Manchester City defender Kyle Walker tweeted a much-used meme of England team-mate Harry Maguire from the World Cup with the words "So basically they thought they were gonna go 7 points ahead...".

Walker, whose side lost to Leicester on Boxing Day, quickly deleted the post but that was not enough to prevent it going viral.

Klopp was unaware of the social media post but, when told about it, expressed his surprise.

"I cannot help that. I am not sure what that says about us, it says something more about the other person," he said.

"I never celebrated that another team dropped points or lost a game. For me that's not allowed.

"That's how I understand sports. You have to do your own things, to work out and show your best performance. I don't understand it.

"For supporters it is a little bit different, for people involved I don't understand.

"But it is nothing to criticise because I don't understand so how can I criticise it.

"There will always be a bunch of people who hope you win and another bunch who hope you will lose.

"You have to ignore both in your preparation, and in the end hopefully you celebrate with the ones who want you to win something."

Klopp also defended himself against accusations he had employed gamesmanship in Wednesday's 1-1 draw with Leicester.

A pre-match snow flurry made the playing surface sticky and passing difficult and at half-time groundstaff only cleared the penalty area Liverpool were attacking.

"The situation was like everybody saw. The first half we had 80 per cent of the ball so only one team suffered and it was us," said the Reds boss.

"It was clear that our groundstaff tried to clear it but they didn't have enough manpower. They realised how difficult it was when they started doing it, not before.

"There was no plan, nobody told them, I can swear, to clear only our side or our box.

"I hear people say it's unsporting, but it's an advantage, if their box is clear then it's better to defend.

"It's no coincidence that in the first half we scored a goal in a box that was full of snow. That's how it is, we cannot change it."

Liverpool could see their five-point advantage over Manchester City cut before they play West Ham on Monday evening.

Full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold is not fully recovered from a knee injury and will not travel to London while fellow defender Joe Gomez is further behind in his rehabilitation from a fractured leg than first expected.

Asked whether Gomez would be fit for the Champions League last-16 tie at home to Bayern Munich on February 19 Klopp added: "No, I don't think it would be a realistic target for Bayern. After that, any time, you will see."

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