Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has accused referee Paul Tierney of using words that are "not OK" during the Reds' pulsating 4-3 Premier League victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield.
Within the first 15 minutes of the contest on Merseyside, Liverpool stormed into a 3-0 lead as they sought to emulate Newcastle United's 6-1 thumping of the North London club.
However, Ryan Mason's side incredibly managed to draw the game level at 3-3 in second-half injury time, before Diogo Jota came up with the game's seventh and final goal, sparking unrestrained celebrations from Klopp.
The Reds boss ran up to celebrate in the face of fourth official John Brooks - injuring himself in the process - and he was also shown a yellow card from Tierney for his troubles.
While Klopp accepted that his conduct was improper, the 55-year-old was at a loss to explain his side's perceived problems with Tierney, alleging that the official must have something "against" his players.
"We have our history with Paul Tierney, I really don't know what he has against us, he has said there is no problems but that cannot be true," Klopp told Sky Sports News.
"My celebration was unnecessary, which is fair but what he said to me when he gave me the yellow card is not ok. How he looks at me, I don't understand it.
"In England nobody has to clarify these situations, it's really tricky and hard to understand. How they can give a foul on Mohamed Salah [before Spurs' third goal]."
Strikes from Curtis Jones, Luis Diaz and Salah in the opening exchanges would seemingly set Liverpool on their way to a dominant victory, but the Reds faced a calamitous collapse as Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Richarlison restored parity for Tottenham.
Prior to Jota's dramatic winner, the Portuguese caught Oliver Skipp with a high boot, leaving the Spurs midfielder bloodied, but neither Tierney nor VAR official David Coote deemed the challenge to be red-card worthy.
Spurs boss Mason insisted that Jota should have been sent off and demanded an explanation from the officials, but Skipp himself was perhaps fortunate to escape an early bath when he caught Diaz's ankle with a dreadful challenge earlier on in the game.
Klopp immediately hit back at Mason's claims and insisted that the Tottenham interim coach has bigger problems to worry about right now, adding: "Diogo's challenge was not intentional, it was high. I really think Ryan Mason has other things to talk about.
"Spurs have to play better football. They can't just counter-attack, they have to play better football with that team. Wanting Diogo Jota off the pitch, worry about other stuff."
Thanks to their fourth Premier League win on the bounce, Liverpool have risen to fifth in the top-flight rankings, seven points behind Manchester United having played a game more.
Klopp's side have two full days to recover before they host Fulham at Anfield on Wednesday evening. body check tags ::
