Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp labelled a ‘hypocrite’ for comments on Manchester United’s penalty record

The Liverpool manager recently commented on United's spot kick record

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Jurgen Klopp has been labelled a "hypocrite" for his comments about the amount of penalties Manchester United are awarded.

The Liverpool manager recently commented on United's spot kick record and claimed that the Red Devils have been awarded more in the last two seasons than his Reds side have in his entire tenure at Anfield.

The two rivals meet each other in a top of the table clash on Sunday.

Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg believes such talk is a "blatant" tactic to try and influence match officials and Klopp should instead look closer to home rather than to United.

“There were a couple of things to take from Klopp's comments,” he wrote in the Daily Mail. “First, he sounds like a hypocrite if he is suggesting United's players are looking to win penalties. The likes of Mo Salah and [Sadio] Mane are just as capable of employing similar tactics.

“He is clearly getting edgy, though, because not since Fergie have we seen such a blatant attempt to influence a referee ahead of a big game. Klopp wasn't doing this last season when Liverpool were winning every week.

“He does not like losing, he never has. He gets prickly. But he is wrong to suggest there is an aura around United that sees them given favourable decisions. There used to be when Fergie was there, but that has eased massively since he left.

“It was mind games — an attempt to influence referee Paul Tierney and get inside his head before a huge match between Liverpool and United this Sunday.”

United sit top of the table ahead of the match at Anfield with Liverpool three points behind in second.