sport news MARK CLATTENBURG: Stop being a hypocrite Jurgen, your guys dive too!

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Jurgen Klopp must be getting worried, because his comments last week about Manchester United and penalties were straight out of Sir Alex Ferguson's playbook.

It was mind games — an attempt to influence referee Paul Tierney and get inside his head before a huge match between Liverpool and United this Sunday.

Klopp was correct when he said United have won more penalties in two years than Liverpool have in his five and a half at Anfield. He was smart, because his comments could not get him into trouble with the authorities.

But let's be clear: there is no conspiracy on the part of referees and officials. Was Klopp insinuating there is? Or was he suggesting United have players who are encouraged to dive?

If his intention was the former, then I've got no time for that. It simply is not true.

But if he was highlighting the ease with which some United players go down in the penalty area then, yes, I believe he was making a valid point. Even if it does ignore similar suspicions about some of his stars.

I have watched United closely this season and analysed each of their 11 penalty awards. 

There are as many as five where I believe contact was invited or even initiated by the United player.

Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Paul Pogba and Mason Greenwood are the players involved. 

They are, in many ways, being clever. 

Once there is contact and the penalty is awarded, VAR will rarely overturn the decision.