Liverpool boss Klopp branded sore loser and 'strange bloke' by ex-PL ref

Clattenburg, who left the Premier League in 2017 for Saudi Arabian football, explained that the German tactician attempted to intimidate him regularly during matches in his recently released autobiography.

"Jurgen Klopp. Brilliant manager. Sour loser. I first came across him in April 2014. His Borussia Dortmund side lost 3-0 at Real Madrid in a Champions League quarter-final first leg," Clattenburg wrote in 'Whistle Blower'.

"After the game, I came out of my dressing room and Real defender Marcelo and his wife asked for a picture. It was a private picture on their phone so I said yeah, no problem.

"Klopp walked past just as the photo was being taken. 'Oh, so that's why we got beat, is it?' he said. He was not being humorous or friendly, he was being sarky.

"It annoyed me when managers could not be gracious in defeat. Klopp never took losing well. When he was winning he was happy, he was good fun. When things were not going his way, he got prickly.

He added: "My final game with Klopp was in January 2017 against Chelsea at Anfield. Managers rarely came into my dressing room for the exchange of team sheets an hour before kick-off.

"On this occasion, Klopp came in with Jordan Henderson. It was bizarre, he stood and stared at me for about 30 seconds. I just stared back at him. I could see Jordan was a bit like, 'What the hell's going on?'

"Did Klopp think I was stupid? I was not going to be bullied by him. He left and all I thought was: 'What a strange bloke.'"

Klopp has built a reputation as a bit of a media darling when his side are doing well, but frosty during bad spells.

The Reds have had a good start to the season and are level on points with Chelsea, Manchester United and Everton at the top of the Premier League.

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