Ex-EPL referee Mark Clattenburg confirms officials favoured Alex Ferguson Manchester United

Writing in the Daily Mail about Jurgen Klopp’s recent penalty claims about Man United, Mark Clattenburg explained: “So there were a couple of things to take from Klopp's comments after that game [against Southampton].

“First, he sounds like a hypocrite if he is suggesting United's players are looking to win penalties. The likes of Mo Salah and Mane are just as capable of employing similar tactics.

“He is clearly getting edgy, though, because not since Fergie have we seen such a blatant attempt to influence a referee ahead of a big game. Klopp wasn't doing this last season when Liverpool was winning every week.

“He does not like losing, he never has. He gets prickly. But he is wrong to suggest there is an aura around United that sees them given favourable decisions. There used to be when Fergie was there, but that has eased massively since he left.”

Mr Clattenburg has just revealed (whether he realises that or not) that Man United had 12 men on the pitch playing against their opponents during Ferguson's reign.