Jose Mourinho ‘happy’ Jürgen Klopp wasn't sent to the stands during Manchester United‘s win over Liverpool

Referee Craig Pawson spoke to Klopp after he ventured out of his technical area but eventually decided the Liverpool manager could remain on the touchline

Jurgen Klopp and Jose Mourinho on the touchline at Old Trafford (Getty)

Jose Mourinho was “happy” that Jürgen Klopp was not sent to the stands during Manchester United's 2-1 win over Liverpool on Sunday, despite his counterpart being reprimanded for leaving his technical area.

Klopp strayed far from the dugout at one point during the second half, travelling some 20 yards down the touchline to criticise Dejan Lovren's defending.

Referee Craig Pawson spoke to Klopp but, after taking advice from fourth official Martin Atkinson, decided the Liverpool manager could remain on the touchline.

Earlier this season during United's win at Southampton, Mourinho was sent to the stands by Pawson for encroaching onto the field of play while telling his team to drop back.

The United manager was not punished further by the Football Association after the game but was not present for the final minutes of his side's 1-0 win.

Mourinho appeared to take issue with managers who act like “clowns” on the touchline earlier this year and has previously complained of being unfairly treated by officials, but he had no complaints when Pawson allowed Klopp to stay in the dugout.

“Probably you are not expecting my answer - I'm happy with the decision,” he said. “He was not speaking against the referee.

“He was upset with a player and the same happened to me against Crystal Palace [last Monday] where I was upset with my player and therefore they [the officials] understood that too.”

Mourinho added: “I think Martin Atkinson, after so many years of this, I think made the right decision. I saw it. He [Klopp] was very upset with his player and not at the referee.

“If you leave the technical area by a couple of metres - or in this case 20 metres - but to speak to your own player and not to complain about the referee's decision, they made the right decision.”