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''Jurgen Klopp admits Liverpool were a bit lucky in Stoke win''

Jurgen Klopp believes his side enjoyed a slice of luck when goalkeeper Simon Mignolet avoided a red card in last night’s 3-0 win at Stoke

Mignolet brought down Mame Diouf on the edge of the penalty area with the score at 1-0 to the visitors but escaped with just a yellow card.

Klopp agreed with referee Martin Atkinson's decision but accepted it could easily have gone against them.

"We needed a little bit of luck in the situation on the yellow card for Simon Mignolet," the Liverpool boss said in his post-match press conference.

"I don't think it was a red card but of course they could have scored in this situation and then the free-kick in this situation with (Xherdan) Shaqiri is a real threat.

"If you think the single foul was a red card, I might have to see it again but I don't think it was, but he's not the last man.


“We needed a little bit of luck in the situation on the yellow card for Simon Mignolet”Jurgen Klopp
"There were two covering players in our shirt. That's the reason, that's the rule."

Sadio Mane opened the scoring for the Reds in the first half, with Mohamed Salah coming off the bench to score twice in a 23-minute cameo to put the game beyond any doubt.

But Stoke boss Mark Hughes was far from impressed with the officiating in a match which left his side just three points above the relegation zone.

"I just don't understand why the referee and the officials couldn't see that for what it was - a clear goal-scoring opportunity," Hughes said.

"If the 'keeper doesn't wipe Mame Diouf out it's a tap-in into an empty net and, at that point, it's 1-1 and game on.

"It came at a time when we were in the ascendancy I felt, asking questions of them.

"I don't think we got the benefit of the doubt from the officials on too many occasions, to be perfectly honest.

"The one thing you want from the referees and officials is to get the key decisions, the match-defining decisions right. In my view, he didn't unfortunately.

"We obviously went down to a poor goal from our point of view, which was a little bit contentious as well because we felt the ball had gone out.
"I'm not sure if it did, but usually as a home team you get the benefit of the doubt in those situations."