
Jurgen Klopp has no case for the defence after Liverpool’s loss in Toulouse
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admits he is more concerned with side’s defensive display than the role VAR played in denying his side a late Europa League draw in Toulouse. Individual mistakes and a lack of collective cohesion saw the hosts take a 3-1 lead but Diogo Jota’s 89th-minute strike, after Cristian Casseres’ own goal had got them back into the game, set up a dramatic conclusion. In the seventh and final minute of added time 20-year-old centre-back Jarell Quansah thought he had equalised but after a long delay referee Georgi Kabakov was advised to go to the pitchside monitor and he ruled Alexis Mac Allister had handled the ball, even though it had initially bounced up off his chest very early in the move for the goal. “I only saw the video back now and for me it’s not a handball – but how can I decide that?” said Klopp. “Actually, I am a bit more concerned about (the fact that) I would have loved us to have played better, to be honest. That’s my main issue tonight. “In the end, we were intense, we threw everything in, but the problem is in a football game you have to make the decisive things in the right moment to do them right.” Liverpool’s problem was a side registering nine changes from Sunday’s draw at Luton never found any rhythm or structure and opponents who were hammered 5-1 at Anfield a fortnight ago took full advantage. They were not helped by Kostas Tsimikas’ error dawdling in possession costing them the important opening goal to Aron Donnum. Defending-wise it was just not good enough Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp “We cannot concede the goals we conceded again,” added Klopp. “The first goal can happen, but then it happened in the second half with similar situations: we were completely open, last line too deep, counter-attack. “They scored five goals, two disallowed, and that is obviously then not good. Yes, the result is the opposite of good, but the performance was just not good enough. “It was well deserved to lose because they won pretty much all the decisive battles. We had too many situations where we should have won the ball but we didn’t. “On top of that we gave the ball away easily at least twice – one was a goal, the other I am not sure if it was an allowed goal or a disallowed goal. “Defending-wise it was just not good enough.” Defeat ends a three-match winning run and although Liverpool remain top of the group their advantage has been cut to two points. They also missed out on guaranteeing top spot early and therefore also skipping the additional play-off round in the knockout phase after LASK’s victory over Union Saint-Gilloise meant victory would have given them an unassailable lead. The consequences of that are if Toulouse win their next game against Union the race to top the group will go down to the final round, and with Liverpool’s trip to Belgium coming immediately before the Premier League visit of arch-rivals Manchester United Klopp would have been hoping that fixture was a dead rubber to allow him to rest players. Read More Katie Taylor ‘aware of what is at stake’ in Chantelle Cameron rematch Brighton complete double over Ajax to boost Europa League hopes England’s Ben Stokes has ‘no idea’ if Pakistan clash will be his last ODI Rasmus Hojlund says ‘a matter of time’ until Erik ten Hag improves Man United Gareth Southgate ‘not interested in just racking up games’ as England manager Ali Price joins Edinburgh on loan from Glasgow after input from Scotland
1970-01-01 08:00

Lions return from bye seeking road win at Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers host the Detroit Lions on Sunday
1970-01-01 08:00

Oakland A's fans are sending MLB owners 'Stay In Oakland' boxes as Las Vegas vote nears
A devoted group of Bay Area baseball fans are sending “Stay In Oakland” boxes to 15 Major League Baseball team owners, imploring them to vote no on the team's planned relocation to Las Vegas
1970-01-01 08:00

US beats defending champion Switzerland in Billie Jean King Cup Finals
The United States has begun its campaign in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals with a win over defending champion Switzerland
1970-01-01 08:00

Jets travel to face the Raiders in prime time with both teams looking to establish the run game
The New York Jets visit the Las Vegas Raiders for the Sunday night game
1970-01-01 08:00

Another Final Four banner awaits Miami's Jim Larrañaga, who is not slowing down
Jim Larrañaga and the Miami Hurricanes will take one last look back at last season on Friday night
1970-01-01 08:00

Ole Miss, Kiffin seek dismissal of suit filed by Rebels football player
Mississippi football coach Lane Kiffin and the school have filed a motion seeking dismissal of a lawsuit filed by a Rebels player alleging racial and sexual discrimination and negligence
1970-01-01 08:00

Cowboys take 11-game home winning streak, 5-victory run in series into meeting with Giants
The Dallas Cowboys take an 11-game home winning streak into a game against the NFC East rival New York Giants
1970-01-01 08:00

Joe Cole splits opinion after VAR denies Liverpool late equaliser: ‘The ref got it right’
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was outraged when VAR controversially ruled out Jarell Quansah’s late equaliser in the Reds’ dramatic 3-2 defeat to Toulouse, but Joe Cole insisted the “ref got it right” after disallowing the goal because of an earlier Alexis Mac Allister handball. Quansah was denied his first Liverpool goal after bundling in a 98th minute equaliser when Mac Allister was ruled to have used his arm to control the ball as the Reds pressed for a late draw in the Europa League clash. However, Liverpool and Klopp were livid as Mac Allister’s handball came several phases before Quansah thought he had levelled. The Argentine midfielder’s touch came roughly 10 seconds before the 20-year-old scrambled in the equaliser. Commentating on TNT Sports, former Liverpool winger Steve McManamann said a “million things” had happened before Quansah struck, while Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher tweeted: “The game has gone! Get rid of VAR, that’s a disgrace.” There was further confusion as the on-field referee Georgi Kabakov appeared to point to the centre-circle, awarding the goal, before he was sent to the pitchside monitor for an on-field review and then overturned his decision. Speaking on TNT Sports, former Chelsea and Liverpool winger Cole said: “I think it was a handball. It was a strange situation because we were all wondering what was going to be the decision given the handball happened quite a while before the goal went in, but the ref got it right. “Much to the dismay and frustration of Liverpool fans and players, it was the right call.” Former England goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Finnis agreed. She said: “A great finish by Quansah who thought he had equalised but I think it was rightly ruled out in the end. “He showed real determination to get his side back in the game, like I said a good finish from the defender, but it is a handball.” The Reds thrashed their French opponents 5-1 at Anfield two weeks ago, but the side who are 14th in Ligue 1 flipped the script as Liverpool suffered just their second defeat in all competitions this season. Before kick-off, Liverpool were boosted by the news that Luis Diaz’s father had been released by his kidnappers in Colombia, 13 days after he was seized by gunmen from the guerrilla group National Liberation Army. Diaz was in the starting line-up and was bright as Liverpool made a positive start, but a mistake by Kostas Tsimikas allowed the hosts to take a 36th-minute lead when he was caught in possession and Aron Donnum fired a deflected shot past Caoimhin Kelleher. Klopp turned to his bench at half time and introduced Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dominik Szoboszlai, but Liverpool’s task soon became harder when Thijs Dallinga doubled Toulouse’s lead with a thumping finish shortly before the hour. The Reds were fortunate to pull one back when home defender Cristian Casseres bundled into his own net, but Toulouse immediately restored their two-goal advantage as Frank Magri slammed in a rebound after some poor Liverpool defending. Diogo Jota pulled another back for the visitors late on before Liverpool were denied a late equaliser by VAR. Klopp’s side remain top of Group E on nine points, but Toulouse are now just a further two behind in the race to reach the last-16 as group winners. Read More Liverpool angered by VAR as Jarell Quansah goal ruled out in Europa League defeat Luis Diaz ‘happy’ to start Liverpool match hours after kidnapped father’s release Luis Diaz’s father freed by kidnappers in Colombia Toulouse v Liverpool LIVE: Latest Europa League updates Luton threaten to ban fans involved in ‘tragedy chanting’ during Liverpool match FA contact Luton and police over ‘tragedy chanting’ during Liverpool match
1970-01-01 08:00

Former New Mexico State players charged with sex crimes in locker-room hazing case
Three former New Mexico State basketball players were charged with multiple sex crimes related to a series of alleged assaults of teammates that led to the disbandment of the team in the middle of last season
1970-01-01 08:00

Cincinnati looks to snap seven-game skid, get 1st Big 12 win in visit to Houston
This meeting of Big 12 Conference newcomers has Cincinnati searching for its first league win after the team dropped its first six Big 12 games and seven games overall
1970-01-01 08:00

No. 18 LSU and unranked Florida seek strong finishes under their second-year coaches
Brian Kelly’s second season as LSU’s coach hasn’t gone quite as well as the first
1970-01-01 08:00