Liverpool ticket price row: Boss Jurgen Klopp defends Fenway Sports Group amid controversy

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has praised the club's owners for their handling of the ticket price controversy. Thousands of Liverpool fans protested proposed ticket price rises during their recent 2-2 draw against Sunderland in the Premier League.

Supporters left the stadium in the 77th minute in opposition to plans that would have seen a matchday ticket in the main stand at Anfield cost £77. The club's owners, Fenway Sports Group (FSG), subsequently backtracked on their earlier plan, meaning Liverpool's dearest matchday ticket will now stay at £59.

The Liverpool boss has come out in defence of the owners, saying their change of heart proves they are interested in the concerns of the fans. "I think in the world of football it's difficult to be an owner – to prove that you are really interested in the club," he said during a pre-match press conference. "I've been here four and a half months and I know our owners really care about the club and the supporters. The reaction was a clear sign. Proof of their real interest."

Klopp's remarks come shortly after Liverpool's principal owner John W Henry, chairman Tom Werner and FSG president Mike Gordon issued an open letter about the ticket price changes. "The three of us have been particularly troubled by the perception that we don't care about our supporters, that we are greedy, and that we are attempting to extract personal profits at the club's expense," it said. "Quite the opposite is true."