Liverpool were left disgruntled in the Merseyside derby on Sunday as Everton held them to a 1-1 draw at Anfield through a controversial late penalty.
Mohamed Salah had given the hosts the lead with just three minutes left in the first half, bending the ball past Ashley Williams and Jordan Pickford from a tight angle. The Reds had several more opportunities to double their lead, but were unable to find the back of the net.
The inability to score cost Liverpool dearly in the end as Wayne Rooney scored from the spot after Craig Pawson gave a decision that left Jurgen Klopp seething. With the match ending all square, the referee came in for a lot of criticism.
Can’t believe Craig Pawson has given that. Such a soft pen.
— michael owen (@themichaelowen) December 10, 2017
Couldn’t agree more Craig pawson will never get a big game again and if he does then the fa need to look at themselves. Keep him on the Swansea v West Brom calibre if games cos he’s cost us 3 points today along with Dewan.
— Jack (@jackstevo1997) December 10, 2017
Man of the match has to be Craig Pawson surely. What a performance.
— James May (@JimboMay) December 10, 2017
Craig Pawson shouldn’t be allowed to referee another derby after this… poor poor poor officiating #lfc
— Farrell Keeling (@farrellkeeling) December 10, 2017
Never a penalty. Robbed of 3 points. Should’ve finished them rather than toy with them. Everton one of the worst team to come to Anfield yet. Negative and tasteless. Derby’s used to be crunching and entertaining. Mind you.. Big Sam loves a relegation battle ??
— Danny Miller (@DannyBMiller) December 10, 2017
Sick to my stomach. In no way did Everton deserve a point. It really hurts. Liverpool should be sitting in third place… but a Calvert-Lewin dive and an awful penalty decision ruined my Sunday.
— Sean Hartnett (@HartnettHockey) December 10, 2017
But, Pawson wasn’t the only one copping flak, with several Liverpool fans blaming Lovren for his challenge on Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Get back in the dressing Lovren 100% pen.
— Jamie Carragher (@Carra23) December 10, 2017
Lovren has lost the plot. Being dragged away by Henderson and Milner after approaching the ref. The defender only has himself to blame. #LFC
— James Pearce (@JamesPearceEcho) December 10, 2017
FACT: Three certainties in life:
1️⃣ Death
2️⃣ Taxes
3️⃣ Dejan Lovren Defensive Error pic.twitter.com/NoCUTmjm9B— Football Tweets (@FutballTweets) December 10, 2017
Very simple, do we want to challenge for the title at some stage? Answer – yes. Is Dejan Lovren a defender you could win the league with? Answer – NO.
— DaveOCKOP (@DaveOCKOP) December 10, 2017
The Dejan Lovren cycle:
Lovren costs us points with an error➡️ Klopp drops him for a couple of games➡️ Klopp brings him back into team➡️ Lovren doesnt cost us a goal for 4/5 games ➡️ Media+Lovren himself claim he’s in the best form of his life ➡️ Lovren costs us points
— Raj Chohan (@rajsinghchohan) December 10, 2017
Salah giveth and Lovren taketh away. pic.twitter.com/gawR1iWM9r
— B/R Football (@brfootball) December 10, 2017
Carragher: “Why is Lovren running at that pace when Calvert-Lewin is running to the corner flag? It’s a foul, it’s a penalty, I have no doubt about that. It’s a very stupid thing to do. It’s the one real attack Everton had, and that’s what is frustrating.”
— Anfield HQ (@AnfieldHQ) December 10, 2017
Anyone saying this isn’t a penalty & defending Lovren, please let me know so I can block you. Thank you pic.twitter.com/rARhmvnuwp
— Brodinho (@Brodinho) December 10, 2017
Klopp deserved that for his blind faith in Lovren. Every single football fan in the world can see that he’s not good enough, apart from Klopp.
— LFC News (@LFCTransferNRS) December 10, 2017
Penalty or not, that’s debatable. But what isn’t debatable is that Dejan Lovren has let us down far too many times on the field – and it’s our own fault for persisting with him. #LFC #LIVEVE pic.twitter.com/YwBghNthap
— LFC Photo (@LFCphoto) December 10, 2017
But, it wasn’t all doom and gloom for Liverpool fans as Mohamed Salah continued his golden run of form.
Mo Salah having lunch with players that are better than him in the Premier League. ? pic.twitter.com/edvfep6GAS
— GeniusFootball (@GeniusFootball) December 10, 2017
According to your pundits he was signing of the summer?! ???#SALAH pic.twitter.com/BZAufcN2mM
— Lallanas in pyjamas (@Lallana_Pyjamas) December 11, 2017
Mohamed Salah…
?️ 23 games
⚽️ 19 goals
? 4 assists
? UCL Player of the Week x 2
? PFA Player of the Month x 1✅ Premier League top Scorer #LIVEVE #MerseysideDerby #PL#TrapaDrive #1DDrive #Salah pic.twitter.com/bqEUaasTqe
— The SPorTalk ? (@TheSporTalk) December 11, 2017
Nothing but respect for the president of Egypt ?? pic.twitter.com/y6bJlamttJ
— ChampagneJuJu (@JHabashy15) December 10, 2017