Allardyce insists it was a penalty, Klopp is livid and hysterical

Well well well. A late dodgy penalty awarded to decide the fate of a Merseyside Derby at Anfield. And it goes to Everton... wait what?!

Yes you read that absolutely right, the Blues got their first penalty in nearly thirty years away at Liverpool to claw back a point after being thoroughly dominated through out. I guess it’s partly payback for the years of deserved points dropped in the derby after awful decision-making.

Both managers were asked after the game whether they felt Dominic Calvert-Lewin had a deserved shout for a penalty when he went down in the box after being pushed in the back by Dejan Lovren.

Sam Allardyce was pretty vehement that it was -

“Yes (it’s a penalty). I’ve had a look on the laptop, look don’t put your hands on the forward in the box, don’t touch him, don’t push him. If you do, you run the risk of giving the penalty away. He could have stood up, shepherded him away and he didn’t. He put his hands on him and pushed him over.

“People can call it soft or whatever they want to call it but you don’t do those sort of things in the box today as we know. The credit goes to Craig Pawson being brave enough to give it at Anfield. Craig Pawson was very brave in his decision.

“It was a big moment for Wayne Rooney and one he couldn’t afford to miss, more for himself. He would have been absolutely gutted if he’s missed it. He made the ball for us to get the penalty anyway, it was one of the only few good passes we made today. Full marks to him, he kept his nerve and put it right down the middle.”

Jurgen Klopp was more than animated in confronting the referees at full time, and continued to lose his mind even during the press conference, even asking the assembled media if they thought it was a penalty, and then getting even more hysterical when nearly half the room raised their hands.

“Our performance was good. We didn't score often enough. I saw only one team playing. The ref thought he had to make it a little bit more. I can't believe the situation with all the challenges. We were clean and didn't make any fouls.

“There is always one nasty one - Sigurdsson made that. A clear red card. You see the picture of the penalty. Calvert-Lewin is smart and he makes a step but even then it is nothing. But it is a penalty and one team can celebrate and we can't.

“I don't understand why the ref is doing that [give the penalty]. I didn't use one swear word. Only one team is trying over 95 minutes to win it. The other team are not in our box and didn't have a shot on target bar the penalty.

“Lovren doesn't make a challenge. Calvert-Lewin makes a step. The hand is on the back. If you think it is a penalty say so. Does my opinion change anything?

“Then we can stop the interview then I only want to speak to people with a little bit of understanding about football. I am sorry, I am wrong and you are right. Obviously I am not in the mood to answer questions.”