Chelsea and Liverpool managers' touchline fight after unwritten football rule was broken

The modern-day rivalry between Chelsea and Liverpool, epitomised by Frank Lampard's spat with Jurgen Klopp in 2020, is set to be reignited this weekend. The two managers previously clashed on the touchline and Klopp later accused the Chelsea boss of breaking an unwritten rule after the game.

Chelsea are gearing up to host Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, with both Reds manager Arne Slot and Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca hoping their sides can return to winning ways in the Premier League. The animosity between the clubs was initially sparked by their heated clashes in the early 2000s, with Jose Mourinho's Chelsea and Rafael Benitez's Liverpool repeatedly locking horns in cup competitions.

Lampard, a pivotal player for the Blues during that period, found himself embroiled in these old tensions during his first stint as Chelsea manager. The Blues suffered a 5-3 defeat at Anfield in July 2020, just before Klopp's squad lifted the Premier League trophy. Despite the match being an occasion to savour for the home team, Chelsea were still vying for a Champions League spot.

Lampard was irked when Matteo Kovacic was booked for a foul on Sadio Mane in the first half, with the scoreline still at 1-0. The Chelsea boss launched a tirade at Klopp and other members of Liverpool's backroom staff, sparking a touchline row. To add insult to injury for Chelsea, Trent Alexander-Arnold netted a goal from the ensuing free-kick, doubling Liverpool's lead.

After the match, Liverpool enjoyed the three points and their title celebrations. However, Klopp subsequently claimed that Lampard had broken an unspoken rule by letting his anger seep into his post-match comments, warning Liverpool not to get "too arrogant" after winning their first Premier League title.

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"You cannot hit me with something like that. We are not arrogant," Klopp responded. "Frank was in competitive mood, I respect that. Say what you want in that situation, pure emotion, he came to win.

"But what he has to learn is speaking about that after the game when the whistle has gone is not OK. Final whistle, as a real sportsperson... close the book and he didn't do that and that is what I don't like, honestly. I only speak now because he spoke afterwards."

However, the German manager insisted the row hadn't affected his side's title celebrations. "I was angry during the game and my plan was not to be angry," he admitted. "I was really...I had a fight with Frank Lampard stuff like this. We don't plan this it's just we are in the game and 5-3 is a perfect result to be honest."

Meanwhile, Lampard sought to apologise for the language he had used during the game and insisted that he had no lasting issue with Klopp. However, the Chelsea boss did maintain that he felt members of the Liverpool staff had overstepped the mark.

"I've seen the video, I was there. In terms of language used, I regret it because I've got two young daughters on social media," Lampard said. "In terms of passion to defend my team? No.

"I could have handled it differently but some of the reports were I was upset with the celebrations. Far from it. They can celebrate like every goal.

"I'd have had a beer with Jurgen Klopp after the game, but there were things on the bench, not from Klopp, that I felt crossed a line. I regret the language, but we'll move on."

On the pitch, Liverpool raced into a 3-0 lead, courtesy of Naby Keita, Alexander-Arnold and Gini Wijnaldum, though Olivier Giroud pulled a goal back for Chelsea before the break. Despite Liverpool extending their advantage through Roberto Firmino, the Blues rallied in the second half with goals from Tammy Abraham and Christian Pulisic, but Liverpool's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain sealed the result.

In the years that have followed, the two clubs have faced off in three domestic cup finals, all of which ended in Liverpool triumphs. Both the 2022 League Cup and FA Cup finals ended in stalemates, with the Reds winning on penalties. Most recently, the 2024 Carabao Cup final was decided by a late extra-time goal from Virgil van Dijk.

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