JURGEN KLOPP turned into Jurgen Crock after a freak collision put one of his own stars in hospital – and left him facing a left back crisis.
Kostas Tsimikas suffered a broken collar bone when a touchline tangle with Bukayo Saka ten minutes before the break sent him crashing into the Liverpool boss.
Both Klopp and the Reds defender hit the deck, and Tsimikas was left holding his shoulder in agony.
He was immediately taken to hospital, where it was confirmed he had suffered a broken collar bone, leaving Liverpool with a huge injury headache.
Andy Robertson is still out after shoulder surgery in October, and Tsimikas’ KO soured a thrilling match for Klopp.
He admitted: “It was massively overshadowed by Kostas’ collarbone issue, and it is definitely broken, so he is out for a long time.
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“I thought at first it’s not a real problem because I had no pain. I would happily give my collar bone and Kostas would be fit again.
“I was completely fine and I thought him, too, but I asked Kostas and he said ‘no, it’s broken.’ Of course that’s not cool and you’re kind of involved.
“I’m not even sure if I fell on him and these things should not happen. The other issues we will have to see, but it is hard for us to swallow with the Robbo situation.”
Referee Chris Kavanagh penalised Saka for the foul, yet there was no intent in the incident and the Arsenal winger swiftly apologised after the top-of-the-table draw.
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Saka said: “I want to apologise to him. I didn’t mean it of course. It was just a 50-50, I went shoulder to shoulder with him.
“I didn’t see him but he must have taken a bad fall. I didn’t see that he went into Klopp either. I kept running because I didn’t think it was a foul.”
Centre back Gabriel headed Arsenal in front after only three minutes, with Mo Salah levelling it just before the half hour.
It means the Gunners top the table at Christmas – yet Klopp felt Liverpool should have had a penalty when Martin Odegaard handled in the box.
The Arsenal skipper escaped as it was ruled that he was using his arm to steady himself as he fell. Klopp didn’t blow a fuse, but did feel hard done to.
He added: “I’m pretty sure someone will tell me it’s not a handball but I don’t know how. I don’t say the ref can see it because I don’t know where he was.
“But how can a guy in an office see that and not come to the conclusion that maybe, possibly it could be worth the referee having another look?”
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta insisted it was the most high octane clash he had seen in two decades – and delighted that he will sit down to Christmas dinner as a table topper.
Arteta said: “It was an unbelievable game, one of the most intense I’ve witnessed in 20 years in this league.
“I’m happy to be where we are. Tomorrow we will have a beautiful dinner with our families, then it’s back to work.”
Klopp also felt it was an honours-even showdown, and reckons it was proof that Liverpool have what it takes to mix it with the best in a title race again.
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He added: “Absolutely we take confidence from the result. You have to take confidence from these results and performances against a top, top side.
“We did not play bad against City for example, but it was not as good as this, and you have to take these things forward.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
