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Leeds United manager Sam Allardyce has hit out at Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp and Manchester United's Erik ten Hag for their comments about Newcastle United's time-wasting antics.
Allardyce was asked about Newcastle's style of play and their supposed game-delaying tactics that have brought complaints from both Klopp and Ten Hag. The new Leeds coach will host the Magpies at Elland Road on Saturday (May 13).
He responded by accusing both managers of doing so, too, asking which coaches were complaining (via Chronicle Live):
"Who doesn't do it? Who complained?"
A reporter pointed that with Klopp and Ten Hag, to which Allardyce responds:
"Well he (Klopp) time wastes. He (Ten Hag) time wastes as well."
Allardyce continued his assessment by insisting that all teams will waste time with minutes on the clock and holding a tight lead:
"They all time waste in the last five minutes if they are winning 2-1. Don't be daft. Rubbish that is. We have been talking about ball in play rather than time wasting and whether ball in play can be improved, but the game is ferocious and quick enough as it is."
Liverpool secured a last-gasp 2-1 win over Newcastle in August at the start of the season. Klopp described the winning goal as the perfect response to the Magpies' time-wasting antics, telling BT Sport:
"When we scored after 90-plus-eight minutes, it's the perfect response to that, to be honest. I'm really happy about that, but nothing else to say."
Meanwhile, Manchester United boss Ten Hag has been a lot more malicious with his comments about Eddie Howe's side's time wasting. He said before his side's 2-0 win over the Tyneside outfit in the Carabao Cup final in February (via talkSPORT):
“It's an annoying team to play against, so we have to find a way to win."
Howe has regularly defended his side against such criticism. The Magpies are flying high in third in the league table. They sit above fourth-placed Manchester United and fifth-placed Liverpool with four games remaining.
Allardyce has now come to Howe's defence regarding time wasting. However, time is not on the Leeds manager's side as his Peacocks are struggling in a relegation battle. They sit 19th, two points from safety with three games left.
Manchester United's Ten Hag comments on potentially missing out on top four to Liverpool
Manchester United have suffered two consecutive league defeats. They were beaten 1-0 by West Ham United last time out (May 7), with Liverpool just a point behind them, having played a game more.
The Red Devils are at risk of slipping out of the top four and their hopes of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League. Ten Hag was asked about the threat of the Merseysiders looming large in the dying embers of the campaign. He responded (via 101greatgoals):
“It’s not about Liverpool. It’s about us because if you look to the table and have everything in our hands. If we bring our performance and standards, we will win games. We don’t have to look to others. We have to look to ourselves to find a way to win."
Ten Hag's men are in action against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford on Saturday (May 13). Meanwhile, Klopp's side travel to the King Power to face Leicester City two days later.
