Jurgen Klopp has called on the Premier League to clarify the new referee guidelines regarding time-wasting.
A number of new refereeing directives have been introduced for the 2023/24 Premier League season, and the rule that has grabbed the most attention thus far is the clampdown on time-wasting through admonishments and extensive additional time at the end of games.
In fact an average of nine minutes and 54 seconds were added on to Premier League games during matchday one, while a number of players were also booked for perceived hold-up of play in games too.
One such player was Trent Alexander-Arnold, who received a booking during Liverpool's 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday for taking too long over a throw-in.
Speaking after the game about the incident which saw Alexander-Arnold be admonished, Klopp insisted that there needs to more clarity over the new directives.
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"I think last season some teams stretched it, definitely," he said. "And we are not one of these teams, we never were. I knew we would get a yellow card - probably the first yellow card - for time wasting with a throw-in. When Trent is looking for a player and tries to find a player, this is a tactical thing - he cannot just take the ball and throw it.
"Maybe we have to clarify it a little bit, but besides that I think too many teams stretched it and did it too obvious and that's why everybody thinks we should watch a bit more football.
"I don't know exactly what the net ball in play time was, but that's how it is now. It was not a problem for me, to be honest. What was it, first half six minutes? Because of the VAR decisions. And second half, five, I think.
"That's a lot but this is a time where we try to sort it like that. I am not sure that will last forever but at the moment it's like that and we have to deal with it."
Klopp and Liverpool will welcome Bournemouth to Anfield for the Reds' first home game of the 2023/24 Premier League season on Saturday.
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This article was originally published on 90min as Jurgen Klopp calls for clarity on Premier League rule changes.
