‘Sadio Mane Should NOT Have Been Sent Off Against Manchester City’- Angry Liverpool Boss Klopp Speaks After 5-0 Spanking

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‘Sadio Mane Should NOT Have Been Sent Off Against Manchester City’- Angry Liverpool Boss Klopp Speaks After 5-0 Spanking

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said neither he nor Manchester City counterpart Pep Guardiola thought Sadio Mane should have been sent off in the Reds’ 5-0 defeat at Etihad Stadium.

Senegal forward Mane was dismissed on 37 minutes after his high foot collided with the face of City keeper Ederson.

Ederson required lengthy treatment but returned to watch the final stages.

“I was outside with Pep and we both didn’t think it’s a red card,” Klopp told BBC Sport.

Mane apologised on Instagam, writing: “I hope and wish Ederson a quick recovery. I am so sorry he was hurt during our accidental collision on the pitch and am sorry for him that he could not complete the match because of it.”

Guardiola said Mane’s challenge “was not intentional” but the Spaniard himself refused to be drawn on whether or not the Liverpool player should have been sent off.

Instead, he compared the incident to City right-back Kyle Walker’s recent dismissal for a second yellow card after catching Everton forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the face.

“I can’t think Mane is the sort of player to make a hard action against the goalkeeper’s face,” said Guardiola.

“He follows the ball and after that he found the action is dangerous – but I’m pretty sure it was not a red card for Walker against Everton.”

Klopp added Mane “didn’t see” the onrushing Ederson as he was focusing on the ball and their “unlucky” collision was “an accident.”

“I’m sure enough people will find a reason to say it’s 100% a red card,” said the German. “Sadio is very, very upset. He was shocked about the situation.

“In the game everybody thought the goalkeeper was seriously injured – I’m not sure what happened but he was running around after the game so not as serious as everybody thought.”