Reds boss touchy over tactics after fan row during Chelsea stalemate

Jurgen Klopp urged Liverpool supporters to show more patience with his team after arguing with a fan during Tuesday's 1-1 draw with Premier League leader Chelsea.

Reds boss Klopp was seen exchanging words with a fan standing behind the dug-outs after a first-half back-pass to goalkeeper Simon Mignolet was met by a collective groan around Anfield.

Klopp said his side was committed to building play from defense and argued the tactic was particularly necessary to counter Chelsea's approach.

"If we don't play possession football tonight, it's ping-pong," Klopp said after the match, which extended Chelsea's lead to nine points.

"We played high pressure, so Chelsea does it smart, plays a few long balls. If we do the same, you have a stiff neck after the game.

"So we had to play football and that includes sometimes you play a back-pass. And then I hear in this moment (shouts): 'Why you play a back-pass?'

"Keep your nerve, please. It's still football. I have no problem with emotion. I have much more emotions than I should have. But it's in this moment (I think), 'What do you want?'

"It was only one guy, by the way, that I made eye contact with. Blue jacket."

The draw preserved the 10-point gap separating the sides, but meant Liverpool, who remains fourth, avoided four successive home defeats for the first time since 1923.

Chelsea took a 24th-minute lead when David Luiz's quickly taken freekick caught out Mignolet as he tried to organize his defense, the ball cannoning in off his right-hand post.

Georginio Wijnaldum equalized with a 57th-minute header before Mignolet atoned by saving a Diego Costa penalty, awarded for a foul on the combative Chelsea striker by Joel Matip.

Klopp celebrated Mignolet's penalty save by roaring in the face of fourth official Neil Swarbrick, but the German said the pair later made peace.

"It was a foul before in my opinion on (Dejan) Lovren, that's what I was a little angry about," Klopp said.

"No one can beat us, was what I said (to Swarbrick). Obviously that's not true, but it felt for us like this in that moment.

"I was absolutely the wrong person to say it. I said: 'Sorry, I was a bit excited.' He said: 'No problem, I like your passion.'"

The home support felt Costa went down too easily after being caught by Matip, but Klopp had no qualms with the Spain international.

"If I had played against Costa, I could never be friends - that's how it is - but when you have him in your team it's much more fun. He is a warrior," said Klopp.

"What (manager Antonio) Conte is doing with Chelsea is outstanding, but Chelsea without Costa this season?

"He is not the nicest guy on the pitch, but I saw no real big incident.

"If someone tells me it was a dive, maybe I will be angry tomorrow, but that would be wrong decision what, number 27? But it doesn't make it better."

Despite Costa's squandered spot-kick, Arsenal's loss to Watford and Tottenham Hotspur's goalless draw at struggling Sunderland made it a good night for Blues boss Conte.

"It is not easy to play against Liverpool in this moment after three defeats. It is not easy to play in this atmosphere," said Conte, whose side faces another difficult test of its title credentials against visiting Arsenal on Saturday.

"I am very proud of my players for the personality they showed tonight. It is a good point, for sure.

"When you have a good chance with a penalty in the 76th minute then you think you could win and take three points, but Mignolet made a great save."