Danny Murphy believes both Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and Man City boss Pep Guardiola should “rein themselves in” following their touchline antics at the weekend.
Mohamed Salah scored the only goal of the game as the Reds picked up a 1-0 victory over City at Anfield. The result has rekindled Liverpool’s season following a slow start.
In what proved to be a highly dramatic encounter, both managers put their emotions on full display. Guardiola, for instance, lost his cool after Phil Foden’s second-half goal was disallowed.
Klopp, on the other hand, was aggressive towards the linesman after Bernardo Silva brought down Salah. The outburst led to a red card for the German manager.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Murphy said: “I think that they’re both consistent with their elaborate behaviour, let’s say.
“I think it’s genuine which is very important, I don’t think it’s done for effect or intimidation purposes. I think it’s just who they are.
“But, and this is my preference as a footballer looking over to the touchline and seeing my manager on the touchline, as soon as they start losing it and being that way by being overly animated, I don’t think that it helps players.
“I think that it causes more chaos than it does calmness and I believe that those two should know a bit better by now.
“I don’t mind seeing passion, but you’re out of the box and your in the linesman’s face. I know Klopp apologised and rightly so, fair play to him for doing so. Pep is sometimes equally over-emotional and over the top.
“I just think that they’ve got to a point where they should know a bit better.”
Murphy believes that the behaviour of both managers could have a detrimental impact on the players.
He added: “I think that there’s different aspects to it. Fans like a manager to show passion and anger and frustration and all of the emotions that they feel because it makes them feel connected, I get that because I’ve been a fan.
“I also get that when a manager doesn’t do it you think it’s because he doesn’t care, which isn’t the case either.
“I’m just giving a footballer’s perspective and I think that the majority of intelligent bright footballers and see something going on and most of them, nearly all of them, will think ‘get a grip, gaffer. Here we go again’.
“Honestly, they do because it’s just a side-show to what you’re trying to do on the pitch.
“A manager sets an example on the pitch.
“I don’t want to see Pep or Klopp lose their passion, that’s not what I’m saying, but I think that there are moments where they could rein themselves in.”
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