Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp accused referee Craig Pawson
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp accused referee Craig Pawson
of "opening the door" for Everton to take a point against his dominant side in the Merseyside derby.
Everton captain Wayne Rooney equalised from the spot after Pawson ruled Dejan Lovren's push on Dominic Calvert-Lewin was worthy of a penalty.
Liverpool took the lead through Mohamed Salah's sublime curling finish from an angle towards the end of the first half, which was deserved reward for the command shown by Klopp's in-form side.
Sadio Mane wasted a fine opportunity to double the lead before Everton, who had only one shot on target from open play, were awarded the 77th-minute penalty.
"Calvert-Lewin is smart and takes a step but even then it's nothing," said an angry Klopp in a bad-tempered interview with Sky Sports.
"The referees don't understand that the player is doing that.
"I cannot believe in a game like this when only one team is trying to win it and the other team were never in our box, and then you give it, you open the door for them like this.
"In my understanding, it's not a penalty."
Klopp then argued with the reporter, saying: "We can stop the interview, because I only want to speak with someone who has a little bit of understanding of football."
The German later apologised to the interviewer, and Everton boss Sam Allardyce saw the penalty decision entirely differently.
"He can moan all he wants but it's a penalty," said Allardyce. "It's an extremely brave decision and I think he got the decision right."
Liverpool remain fourth in the Premier League table, two points behind third-placed Chelsea, while Everton stay 10th.
Liverpool must look at themselves
Lovren and captain Jordan Henderson angrily remonstrated with the referee at the final whistle after he awarded the visitors their first penalty at Anfield since 1988.
Liverpool clearly felt it was a soft decision, yet the hosts must also look at themselves for their inability to secure victory after failing to turn their long spells of possession into more than one goal.
They remain unbeaten in 10 games in all competitions but this will feel like a defeat for Klopp, whose team selection will also come under scrutiny.
The German opted to start Philippe Coutinho, who scored a Champions League hat-trick in midweek against Spartak Moscow, and fellow Brazilian Roberto Firmino on the bench.
Instead Klopp handed 20-year-old striker Dominic Solanke his second league start for the club, while there was an all-English midfield of Henderson, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
"I make decisions that I think are right," added Klopp. "We lived more or less in their box. We could have scored earlier. I have to live with that."
Klopp made six changes in total yet Liverpool's play was still fluent, even if they were frustrated by the visitors before a brilliant piece of individual skill by Salah put them ahead.
The Egypt forward took his tally for the club since signing in the summer to 19 goals with an exquisite finish after beating Cuco Martina and holding off Idrissa Gueye.
However, Mane's selfish decision not to pass to a team-mate cost Liverpool the cushion of a second goal before the interval.
He ran clear of the Everton defence but instead of squaring to Solanke, Oxlade-Chamberlain or Salah he went for goal and dragged his shot wide of the right-hand post.
Liverpool's failure to add another goal ultimately cost them a fourth successive win, as Everton secured a point from a game they never had control of.
As Klopp sought to engineer a late winner for his side he sent on Danny Ings for the injury-plagued striker's first Premier League appearance since May 2016.
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