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Jurgen Klopp has queried why Liverpool have had so few penalties in the Premier League this season as he revealed just how intense the run-in is proving for his players.

The Reds were denied a blatant spot kick in Saturday's goalless draw at home to Stoke City when referee Andre Marriner chose to ignore Erik Pieters handle Gini Wijnaldum's driven cross late on.

Despite scoring 80 goals in the Premier League this season, Liverpool have been awarded only three penalties of which only one has come at Anfield.

For comparison, Crystal Palace have had 10 top-flight spot kicks this season, Everton and Manchester City eight and Brighton and Hove Albion seven.

And Klopp admits he is growing frustrated at the situation.

“Have a look at the situations where we’ve been lucky with scoring goals and you will find probably two situations around the Champions League against City,” said the Reds boss.

“Look again, look at how many penalties. Tottenham have had more penalties at Anfield than we have.

“We constantly have the ball, we are constantly in the box. We don’t dive. We don’t do all these things. I don’t know why it is like this.

“If I look back there have been 10 or 11 situations when people have said afterwards (that Liverpool might have had a penalty). If you then see the experts talking about it and they still are right and we only think 'really?'

“There’s always a reason to explain it – somebody will find an explanation for it not being a handball; no the arm is not here... but the James Milner situation against Roma, that was handball and even then people said it unbelievable.

“I cannot judge, I change it, I take it, we play the next game.”

Liverpool have been awarded two penalties in the FA Cup – one after consulting VAR – and three in the Champions League.

With goal difference heavily in their favour, the Reds still realistically need three points to seal a top-four berth ahead of Chelsea, although a draw at Stamford Bridge next week would guarantee Champions League qualification.

Liverpool picked up a number of knocks during Saturday's draw, including Joe Gomez whose performance drew criticism from sections of the Anfield crowd.

“It was far away from being his best game,” said Klopp. “He made a slide tackle and twisted it and feels it at this moment so it doesn’t look too good.

“Should he have said ‘I’m not 100%'? I’m not sure because then Clyney would have played earlier.

“Is he ready for this? We will find out in the next weeks.

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“It’s an intense moment for the boys. You cannot only go out when you feel brilliant and everything is fine.

“We have to go out when somebody blows the whistle and we have to stay there until somebody blows the whistle again and we will see where it leads us to.”

Liverpool now turn their focus on Wednesday's Champions League semi-final second leg at Roma, having won their first game at Anfield 5-2.

“There’s no time to switch off, of course not; how, when?” said Klopp. “The game (Stoke) is finished, you ask me all these questions, some of them make more sense, some make much less sense.

“On the way here (to talk to you), I meet the doc; he tells me his concerns and whatever. None of these concerns have helped me to switch off, so that’s the situation.”