Jurgen Klopp Complains About West Brom Pitch After Liverpool Draw vs. Baggies

Jurgen Klopp criticised the pitch at the Hawthorns after Liverpool blew a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 against bottom-of-the-table West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League on Saturday. 

Speaking after the game, Klopp said the Baggies' playing surface didn't suit his side's expansive style, per BBC Sport's Caroline Chapman:

"It's football. When you play football you need a normal pitch, when it gets drier it's not good for the football-playing side. Each club can decide it like they want. If West Brom want to have more possession next year in the Championship I'm sure the pitch will be watered."

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Klopp had seen his team open a commanding lead thanks to goals from Danny Ings and Mohamed Salah. However, Jake Livermore and Salomon Rondon completed West Brom's comeback to deny Klopp's men the chance to cut the gap to Manchester United in second place to just one point.

The Liverpool manager felt luck didn't favour his team. Specifically, when it came to a possible penalty after Ahmed Hegazi appeared to fell Ings in the box. Klopp didn't hide his belief that referee Stuart Attwell had made a mistake, per Ian Doyle of the Liverpool Echo:

Klopp's bitterness was obvious in the way he dubbed West Brom's revival a "useless comeback," per Doyle. The withering assessment didn't end there as Klopp took aim at the Baggies' direct style of play.

Specifically, he again reminded West Brom about the reality of imminent relegation, while suggesting the Baggies offer nothing from open play:

Klopp taking jabs at West Brom's plight can't mask how his side have lost momentum ahead of Tuesday's UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg against AS Roma. The German picked a strong squad, with key players such as Salah and fellow wide forward Sadio Mane involved.

Even so, familiar defensive failings ultimately undermined Liverpool again.