Klopp defends Alisson and bemoans Cresswell tackle but praises how West Ham fought

However, the Reds boss believes his players failed to get the rub of the green when it came to refereeing decisions in the 3-2 defeat on Sunday.

Liverpool fell behind in the opening five minutes as goalkeeper Alisson flapped at Pablo Fornals' corner from the left.

VAR looked at the incident carefully to ensure the goal should stand as the Liverpool players and Klopp pleaded with Craig Pawson that their keeper had been impeded in the lead-up.

The goal wasn't chalked off and Liverpool were on the wrong end of another decision moments later.

Captain Jordan Henderson was felled just outside the box after a strong tackle by Aaron Creswell. Replays show Henderson was very much caught on the follow through, however, the Hammers left-back was spared a red card.

Klopp said after the match: "I think the goals are clear but some situations they have to go another way.

"Let's talk about the goals they score. The first I think is a foul on the goalie - I don't know what a player has to do for it to be a foul on the goalie. The arm goes against Ali's arm so how can he catch the ball when someone takes his arm away?

"How can that happen? I just don't know. It's a typical excuse, probably, VAR says it's not clear and obvious but I don't know what you need and I don't know about the handball.

Klopp added: "What can he do? The goalie is protected in moments.

"If a player goes up with an arm against an arm it's not important for a goalie it's an important piece of the body and if that happens how can he make a save?

"I know people will say 'he's looking for excuses', I'm not. I'm completely calm and I don't think we're too good to lose football games. We lost and it's not nice but I accept that.

"But when we speak about the game in moments you need a normal decision from a ref and he didn't do that and that's the situation."

And on the Cresswell tackle, Klopp said: "I don't know if I can use the right vocabulary but for me that was a reckless challenge and you cannot go like that, you have to control your body.

"Two situations were influential in the game but West Ham fought for the three points, they're not responsible for the decisions made and so they won the game and that's it."