For two likable chaps, this was rather unexpected.
The full-time whistle had just blown to bring an end to Liverpool’s comprehensive 5-1 victory over Brighton on Saturday afternoon.
The Reds admirably dealt with a period of the hosts’ pressure which followed a Glenn Murray penalty shortly after half-time and scored two late goals to allow manager Jurgen Klopp to rest easy in the dying moments.
The visitors’ counter-attacking prowess was the story of the game but, another storyline showed itself on the touchline in the immediate aftermath as Klopp and Brighton boss Chris Hughton exchanged words.
Contrary to initial reports, Hughton did shake the German’s hand but he then proceeded to give Klopp something of an earful.
What was even more bizarre than the exchange itself was the fact that neither manager was asked to shed light on it after the game.
Sky Sports’ post-match interview made no reference to the words on the touchline while neither press conference provided anything in the way of clarity.
And while we don’t know for sure why Hughton was unhappy with Klopp, Match of the Day pundit Ian Wright reckons he knows why.
Speaking on Saturday evening, Wright suggested that Klopp’s insistence on celebrating every goal with passion, no matter how one-sided the scoreline might be, is what vexed his opposite number.
“The thing with Klopp, when you score four or five and the fist-pumping and the gurning kind of gets to you,” the Arsenal legend said.
“I’m sure there are other managers who feel the same way about him.
“He’s doing people’s heads in!”
