Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp admits he ‘didn’t understand a word’ of Darwin Nunez’s full-time spat with Pep Guardiola after he took on unlikely peacemaker role… as the Reds boss insists: ‘I love them both’

Jurgen Klopp was cast in the unlikely role of peacemaker at the end of Manchester City’s 1-1 draw against Liverpool with Pep Guardiola and Darwin Nunez squaring up to each other in a heated exchange.

Klopp dragged his fiery Uruguayan striker away from the touchline confrontation before returning to hold an animated conversation with City boss Guardiola which ended with an embrace.

‘I love them both and so I tried to calm the situation down. I was absolutely not involved, surprisingly!’ explained Klopp afterwards.

‘I am not sure I am the right one to explain it without knowing 100 per cent what happened because I didn’t understand a word.

‘It was emotion. Pep wants to win, we want to win. Both didn’t win so obviously nobody was really happy and these things can happen.

Klopp admitted that he did not ‘understand a word’ of the exchange but pulled Nunez away to calm him down

After the game the Liverpool boss admitted ‘I love them both’ having acted as a surprising peacekeeper 

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‘It was nothing to do with this historical fierce rivalry between the clubs – I don’t think Darwin knows anything about that.’

Spanish speakers Guardiola and Nunez jabbed accusing fingers at each other after Liverpool ended City’s 23-match winning streak at home in the Premier League.

Erling Haaland had scored his 50th Premier League goal in only 48 matches – a record – to give the champions a first-half lead but Trent Alexander-Arnold levelled ten minutes from the end and celebrated by shushing his finger in front of the home support.

Guardiola wouldn’t shed any light his dispute with Nunez but joked that Klopp must be stronger than he was for being able to drag the player away.

‘Nothing happened. I wasn’t frustrated, I am incredibly pleased with our performance because we know after seven years how good and tough Liverpool are.

‘When they run it is heavy metal and when Mo Salah gets touches, he never loses the ball.’

Haaland has taken 17 fewer games than the next quickest player to reach a half-century of goals, Andy Cole.

Erling Haaland opened the scoring in the first half after a poor clearance from Alisson

Trent Alexander-Arnold levelled after the break with a well-aimed finish from outside the box

‘Only 50,’ Guardiola quipped. ‘It is incredible. He nearly scored a second goal, a deflection and good save, and after Liverpool score to equaliser. Football is about these fine margins.’

City also had a Ruben Dias goal ruled out for offside when Manuel Akanji fouled Alisson. 

The Liverpool goalkeeper had a muscular problem by the end of the match having travelled back six thousand miles from Brazil on Wednesday and will undergo a scan.

‘It’s quite unusual and we hope it’s not serious,’ said Klopp who had criticised the scheduling of the fixture so close to the recent international break.