Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admitted luck was on his side as he avoided being sanctioned for his outburst at fourth official Neil Swarbrick during his team’s 1-1 Premier League draw with leaders Chelsea at Anfield on Tuesday.

Klopp, who was furious with the referee’s decision not to award a free-kick in the build-up to Chelsea’s penalty, screamed in the fourth official’s face after striker Diego Costa saw his spot-kick saved by goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.

The German later apologised to Swarbrick, who said he liked the coach’s passion.

The incident prompted United manager Jose Mourinho to claim he pays more for his touchline behaviour than other managers do.

“I think it depends on the fourth official. Again, when I saw the picture afterwards I knew it looked not too nice but it was not as bad as it looked,” Klopp told reporters. “Maybe I was lucky the fourth official said what he said.”

Manager Arsene Wenger was recently slapped with a four-match touchline ban for pushing the fourth official during Arsenal’s win over Burnley last month.

“It’s quite an emotional game and to switch off emotions at the right moment is not that simple. We struggle, not only myself or Jose but even Wenger struggles and a lot of other people struggle in moments like this,” Klopp said.

“Sometimes we get a fine and sometimes not. It’s not that we want to do it or it’s a tactic. It happens. It was worse when I was younger.

“I have already improved. I have no idea why Mourinho spoke about me then – you have to ask him.”

Klopp offered little hope of defender Mamadou Sakho reviving his career at Liverpool once his loan deal with Crystal Palace expires at the end of the season.

“He should concentrate on the job at Palace and we should concentrate on the job here,” he said.