Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has asked officials to be protective of star man Philippe Coutinho.

Liverpool claimed a comfortable 3-0 victory over Derby County in the third round EFL encounter at the iPro Stadium on Tuesday night and while Klopp would have been left very happy with the final outcome of the game, he was a little angry with the treatment of Coutinho from the Rams players.

Coutinho was at the receiving end of a number of strong challenges in the first half and Klopp has now urged the referees to be more protective of the Brazilian international in order for him to avoid a serious injury.

Klopp said: "It is so close that some bad can happen when someone flies in three or four times like they did, and I said to the fourth official 'please tell him'.

"He didn't hit the player, I saw that, but it was so close. But that's my problem how I reacted and nothing happened."