Everton Boss Sam Allardyce Praises Referee for 'Brave' Penalty Decision in Merseyside Derby Draw

Sam Allardyce has credited referee Craig Pawson's brave penalty award in Sunday's 1-1 Merseyside derby draw at Anfield.

Wayne Rooney converted from the spot to give his side a draw after Dejan Lovren was adjudged to have pushed Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the box.

Allardyce has insisted that, despite Liverpool's vehement protests, the decision to give his side a penalty was the correct one.

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"I've had a look at it on the laptop,” he said, quoted by the Liverpool Echo. “Don't put your hands on a forward when he's in the box, don't mess with him, don't touch him, don't push him.

“If you do you run the risk of giving a penalty away, he had no need to do it, he could've stood up, shepherded him away from goal which is where he was going and he didn't he put his hands on him, pushed him over and people can call it soft but you don't do those sort of things in the box today, as we know.

“The credit goes to Craig Pawson for being brave enough to give when playing at Anfield.

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“I've just been given the stats about it being 40 or 50 years since Everton have had a penalty here so it shows you how good it can be. But Craig Pawson was very brave in his decision.”

Liverpool dominated possession and looked set for victory at Anfield, but the visitors restricted them to few opportunities and capitalised on a defensive error.

“They had three shots on target, we had two and that shows you how well we mastered such a great side today in terms of their goal-scoring ability," Allardyce added. "That had to be our first port of call today if we were going to get a result – and we mastered that today."