When football managers behave badly...

Klopp calls on managers to improve touchline behaviour

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said elite-level coaches cannot give guarantees about their touchline behaviour due to the pressure that comes with being involved in the Premier League but he urged his counterparts to set higher standards.

Manchester United's Jose Mourinho said this week that he is punished more heavily for his behaviour than other managers after Klopp escaped sanction for his outburst at the fourth official during Liverpool's draw with Chelsea.

"I agree 100 per cent. The problem is only that to know about it doesn't change the moment," Klopp told reporters on Friday when asked if he felt managers should be more restrained in their technical area.

Klopp apologised to the fourth official, who said he liked the coach's passion, and the German admitted he was lucky to have avoided punishment.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was recently handed a four-match touchline ban for pushing the fourth official during his team's win over Burnley.

"It would be a lie to give a guarantee to say that it would never happen again. Do we think Arsene Wenger is a person who when he sees the fourth official he is going to punch him?," Klopp added.

"It happens because of the circumstances and not the personality. There is no excuse and that is why there are fines for it.

"It is my fault but that is not to say I can stop it. Behind a manager is still a human being and we are all weak in parts. A few of these weaknesses lead to difficult situations and not because we are disrespectful."

Liverpool, who are fourth in the table and 10 points behind leaders Chelsea, travel to second-bottom Hull City on Saturday.