Liverpool 2-0 Everton: James Tarkowski says defeat ‘didn’t feel like a fair game’

Liverpool’s contentious win over rivals Everton “didn’t feel like a fair game”, said Blues defender James Tarkowski.

The Toffees had Ashley Young sent off in the first half for two yellow cards but referee Craig Pawson did not do the same to home defender Ibrahima Konate.

Sean Dyche called it an “incredible” decision, while Jurgen Klopp said his side were “lucky” with the call.

Holding a man advantage, Mohamed Salah scored both goals in the second half for the 2-0 Premier League victory.

The main talking points in a controversial Merseyside derby at Anfield were decisions made by official Pawson.

The man in charge sent off full-back Young for two fouls on Luis Diaz but did not send off Konate for bringing down Beto in the second half while already on a yellow card.

Pawson also awarded Liverpool a disputable penalty after adjudging Michael Keane to have handled the ball in the box, watching the incident back on the pitchside monitor after consultation with VAR.

“For me it didn’t feel like a real fair game,” stand-in skipper Tarkowski told TNT Sport.

“We had a man sent off, they got a penalty which I have not seen back but at the time did not feel like a penalty at all.

“Their lad should have been sent off and they were dragging him off the pitch to save him. It didn’t feel like a fair game. We got done with a penalty and a late counter attack.

“It is disappointing not so much in our performance but the game. I got booked in the first half for fouling a lad in midfield and the referee said, ‘you are out of position and fouled him so it is a yellow card.’

“Konate is out of position, fouls our lad and it is not a yellow card, so for me where is the consistency? If he is saying that is why he has booked me, I expect the same in the second half, and that’s where it doesn’t feel like a fair game.”

Dyche fumes over ‘ridiculous’ decisions

Liverpool went top of the table after the result on Saturday lunchtime, but champions Manchester City will leapfrog them by beating Brighton.

Everton have won only two of their opening nine games this season and boss Dyche was fuming at the performance of the officials.

The ex-Burnley manager said: “I must say, I am getting bored of running over to the TV, we know what is going to happen. I don’t know what the strike-rate is but it is probably 99% chance that the referee will give what he has been told in his ear.”

Asked about Konate not being sent off, he said: “I have no clue. I have asked the referee, he said he didn’t feel it was a bookable offence and felt that straight away.

“I would like to think there are a few fair minded people in football, people here today, would be stunned that is not a second yellow.

“Their manager, fair play, he took him off as quickly as he could. He has seen it and realised he has got away with one, I would imagine. He could not wait to get him off. He knows and we know.

“I don’t want to bleat too much about the fact that we lost because we did lose. I don’t want to talk about referees, it is rare, I can’t remember the last time I spoke so openly about referees and decisions but that one was incredible to me.

“And I got a yellow card, I don’t even know how, it was a near impossibility. I was literally gesticulating like everyone else in the stadium. Liverpool fans got away with one, our fans are going crazy and I got a yellow card for that. That is ridiculous.”

Former England defender Rio Ferdinand said Liverpool “got away with one”, ex-Reds defender Stephen Warnock called it a “stinker” of a decision and former Scotland striker Ally McCoist felt there is “a lack of consistency” in decisions.

Klopp told TNT Sports: “Yes, we are probably lucky with Konate that he didn’t get the second yellow.

“Of course I understand Everton’s frustration. It is hard but with time you get over it.”