James McClean Labels Jurgen Klopp an 'Idiot' After Liverpool Draw with West Brom

West Bromwich Albion winger James McClean has described Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp as "a bit of an idiot" following the German's conduct during and after Sunday's 2-2 draw at Anfield.

The Reds needed a stoppage-time Divock Origi goal to claim a point against the Baggies, and Klopp refused to shake hands with West Brom boss Tony Pulis after the game because of Craig Gardner’s horror tackle on Dejan Lovren, per the Guardian's Andy Hunter.

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He also celebrated wildly in front of the opposition bench when Origi netted late on, and McClean was clearly not impressed, per BBC West Midlands (via the Irish Examiner): "Obviously, look I have got respect for the man because he did a great job at Dortmund and that. But I think he is a bit of an idiot if I am being honest. On the game on Sunday you can't act that way. Win, lose or draw you have got to be respectful."

Per Hunter, Klopp described the Merseyside clash as "not a friendly game" and said that, while he usually shakes hands after matches, he had to take "more than a few seconds to cool down."

It was a valuable point in the end for Liverpool from what looked to be a losing position.

Klopp led his players to salute the Kop end at Anfield following the match—a move that has received some criticism given they did not win, but is widely seen as an attempt to engender a fervent atmosphere, per BT Sport's Ian Darke:

If Klopp can cultivate an environment in which the Reds are difficult to beat at home—they have lost only one in seven at Anfield since the former Borussia Dortmund boss arrived at the club—he could return Liverpool to the upper echelons of English football. 

Indeed, Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe believes Klopp has already turned them into title contenders:

Liverpool currently lie 11 points back from league-leading Leicester City and five off the top four.

Given the inconsistent form of the other top clubs in the English top flight, they are far from out of the running to be champions in 2015-16—and genuine contenders to finish in the top four and return to the Champions League.

The Christmas period will be crucial in the long-term, and Klopp is surely targeting maximum points from their three final league fixtures of the year—away to Watford (Dec. 20) and Sunderland (Dec. 30) and home to Leicester (Dec. 26).