Jurgen Klopp vs Roy Keane tale of the tape: How Liverpool boss and Man Utd legend’s managerial reigns compare after row
JURGEN KLOPP and Roy Keane squared off on Sky Sports after the Manchester United icon said Liverpool were “sloppy” in parts of their 3-1 win over Arsenal.
Goals from Sadio Mane, Andy Robertson and new signing Diogo Jota cancelled out Alexandre Lacazette’s opener.
And some were even half-jokingly ready to concede the title to last season’s champions again after their performance.
Not so Keane, though, who endured an awkward encounter with the Liverpool boss after he overheard his comments from the Sky studio.
Klopp said: “Did he [Keane] say we had a sloppy performance tonight?
“He must have been watching a different game. Nothing was sloppy. This game was exceptional.
“The football we played was absolutely exceptional.”
Keane, who to his credit was complimentary of Liverpool, responded: “I said there were sloppy moments, but I think you have been outstanding, I’ve been giving the club nothing but praise.
“I’m not sure you’ve heard me correctly.”
Keane then told Klopp to “hear the rest of it”, before the Reds boss said he “will 100 per cent”.
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After Klopp walked back to the dressing room, Keane uttered: “Jesus. Very sensitive. Imagine if he’d lost.”
The stats of their managerial reigns show it is Keane who is the loser though – comparatively at least.
Klopp’s tenure at Anfield is already the stuff of legend.
He ended the club’s 30-year wait to win the Premier League the season after claiming the Champions League.
In all he has won nine titles at Dortmund and Liverpool while Keane won only the Championship with Sunderland in 2007 before being sacked by Ipswich in January 2011.
Klopp has so far managed a huge 856 games compared to Keane’s 182 with a much better win rate of 52.6 per cent against Keane’s 38.7 per cent.
The Irishman holds the upper hand as a player though.
Klopp spent 11 trophy-less years with Mainz 05, saying he had “fourth-division feet and a first-division head”.
Keane was captain of the all-conquering Man Utd side from 1997 until 2005 and won seven Premier League titles, four FA Cups and the Champions League in addition to two titles with Celtic.