An incredible statistic has summed up why Jurgen Klopp has every right to point out Liverpool’s lack of penalties, as well as Manchester United’s endless stream of them.
The Reds are going through a rocky period at the moment, failing to win any of their last three Premier League games.
Monday’s 1-0 defeat away to Southampton was hugely disappointing, but Liverpool again had a couple of penalty appeals turned down.
It led to Klopp speaking about how United have had more spot-kicks under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer than he has in his five-and-a-bit year spell at Anfield.
On Tuesday, it was revealed by Chelsea fan Frank Khalid on Twitter that United have had comfortably the most penalties (32) since the start of the 2018/19 season, and almost double Liverpool’s tally (17):
Penalties won in the Premier League since the start of the 2018-19 season:
32 – Man Utd
31
30
29
28
27
26
25
24 – Leicester
23
22
21
20
19
18 – Man City
17 – Liverpool, ChelseaJurgen Klopp is right, referees do favour Man Utd more than any other team.
— Frank Khalid OBE (@FrankKhalidUK) January 5, 2021
Read Liverpool Verdict
It is an astonishing stat – one that has to make you wonder about United being favoured by referees.
Granted, they have quick attacking players who run at speed in the penalty area, but Liverpool have two of the very best in that respect in Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.
On top of that, United haven’t been close to the best team since the beginning of 2018/19, so will have spent less time in opposition teams’ penalty areas.
Klopp has every right to be bemused about the officiating currently, as these figures prove.
