Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp criticised the emphasis on 'flowing football' over player safety after his side beat Burnley 2-0 in the second weekend of the new Premier League season.
Klopp's side took the lead in the first 20 minutes of the first half through the boot of Diogo Jota, before cementing the victory halfway through the second half with a goal from Sadio Mané.
However it was Burnley's aggressive nature in the Liverpool box that Klopp focused on in his post-match interview.
Speaking to BT Sports after the match, Klopp made reference to a number of challenges in the air against his defenders, including one from Ashley Barnes against Virgil van Dijk.
"You saw these challenges with [Ashley] Barnes on Virgil [van Dijk] etc., I am not a 100% sure if we are going in the right direction," Klopp said.
"It feels like we are going back 10-15 years back to, 'that is the football we wanted to see', or whatever. It is just dangerous; you cannot really judge the situations.
"In the air it is fine, but when the go down or stand still into the defender, it is just hard. The rules are legal, but you cannot defend these situations. How are you going to avoid these situations?"
While referencing Arsenal's 2-0 loss to Brentford in the first weekend of the season, Klopp stressed the importance of player safety over the desire to 'let the game flow'.
"I think it all started when we changed the rules 20 years ago to protect the players," Klopp said. "So, more contact, when you are in the air, you cannot judge, you have no influence.
"You head the ball, but the player is in you and you end up on the floor again. I don't think it is right, but I cannot decide these kinds of things.
"I heard that, we want to let the game flow, but it is always like this. I stick to this, the first goal from Brentford they did brilliantly, but the second goal from Brentford must be a foul.
"You cannot grab the arm of the goalie and then say, 'that's football'. But it is all fine. We have to get used to it."
For Klopp, the move towards the old-school physicality in the box is the worst aspect of the new focus on rewarding the attacking sides.
"There is one message now, 'let the game flow,' but no one seems to know what that means," Klopp said. "That is fine, that is fine, that is fine, there is no foul; it is like it was.
"I like all the decisions in favour of the offensive team like the offside now, but we have to stick to protecting the players. We cannot deny that completely.
"We cannot say, 'That is a challenge, I like watching that'. Then watch wrestling!"
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