Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has dismissed suggestions of a dressing-room bust-up with captain Jordan Henderson.
Henderson and Klopp were involved in a touchline exchange when the midfielder was substituted during Liverpool’s 0-0 draw against Manchester United on Sunday.A
Klopp, whose Premier League leaders host Watford on Wednesday, labelled that a “pure misunderstanding” and said reports of a bust-up afterwards were wrong.
“I could have shouted, but Hendo wasn’t even there. He was being drug tested,” the German told UK newspapers.
“Nothing. It’s bull****. Nothing happened after the game, we were completely fine. We spoke about the game and the opportunity we had, things we did, and then we drove home.”
Klopp and Henderson eventually shook hands on the touchline at Old Trafford, the incident also dismissed by the manager.
The former Borussia Dortmund boss said he was giving instructions to Xherdan Shaqiri and Henderson was thanking fans, leading to the handshake miss.
“In terms of the situation, it was a pure misunderstanding. That’s clear. For me, when a player leaves the pitch, it’s clear, we shake hands but I’m in the situation as well. I didn’t say you have to wait for me until I look at you again as I was with Shaq talking and then Hendo left. He was saying thank you to the crowd.
“I thought he didn’t [go to shake hands] and that’s why I turned and told him to [come back and shake my hand] but everyone else told me, ‘No, no, no, he wanted to shake your hand but you were not ready’. That’s how a misunderstanding works. That’s all. It was nothing.”