Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hits back at Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp over Manchester United penalties jibe

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has responded to Jurgen Klopp's comments about the number of penalties that the Red Devils have been awarded over the last couple of seasons.

Jurgen Klopp brought up Manchester United's penalty record after Liverpool's 1-0 loss away at Southampton on Monday night. The German tactician felt that his side should have been awarded two penalties during their game against the Saints. He then reflected on how Manchester United always seem to get their way with decisions.

The Liverpool boss said:

"I hear now that Manchester United had more penalties in two years than I had in five-and-a-half years. I've no idea if that's my fault, or how that can happen."

Manchester United have been awarded 11 penalties in all competitions this season, with six of them coming in the Premier League. Liverpool, on the other hand, have won five.

However, Jurgen Klopp may have been talking the fact that Manchester United have been awarded 42 penalties in all competitions since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over in December 2018, compared to Liverpool winning just 19 in that timeframe.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has now responded to Klopp's comments by saying that he is unfazed by the Liverpool manager's comments. When asked about Premier League managers' fascination with Manchester United being awarded penalties, the Norwegian said:

"I don't count how many penalties they have so if they want to spend time on worrying about when we get fouled in the box, I don't spent time on that."

🗣️ "I don't count how many penalties they have, so if they want to spend time on worrying about when we get fouled in the box, I don't spend any time on that" Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has hit back at Jurgen Klopp's penalty comparison...https://t.co/gb1lw58WRf

— SPORTbible (@sportbible) January 6, 2021

"Maybe it's a way of influencing referees": Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on managers who bring up Manchester United's penalty tally

Jurgen Klopp brought up Manchester United's penalty record after Liverpool's 1-0 loss away at Southampton

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard had also commented on the number of penalties that Manchester United have received.

The Blues legend brought it up in his pre-match press conference ahead of last season's FA Cup semi-final.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has now suggested that managers who keep talking about Manchester United's penalty tally are trying to influence referees.

"I can't talk on behalf of other managers, why they say things like this. Obviously I felt it worked last year in the semi in the FACup because Frank spoke about it and we had a nailed-on penalty that we should have had that we didn't get."

"So maybe it's a way of influencing referees. I don't know, but I don't worry about that. When they foul our players it's a penalty. It's just when it's inside the box. "

🗣️ "Maybe it is a way of influencing referees?"Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has responded to Jurgen Klopp's comparison of penalty records between Manchester United and Liverpool

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) January 5, 2021

Manchester United will travel to face Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool at Anfield, where they will look to reinforce their claim as title challengers this season.