Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has said that referee Andre Mariner’s failure to award his side a penalty in Saturday’s goalless draw with Stoke City ultimately cost Liverpool a much needed win at Anfield.
A late Georginio Wijnaldum cross struck the hand of Stoke defender Erik Pieters inside the six-yard box with Liverpool defender Alberto Moreno lurking directly behind the Dutch international awaiting Wijnaldum’s cross.
Henderson said that the incident was a blatant penalty and that Moreno would have scored a tap in if the ball hadn’t struck Pieters’ hand.
FT: Liverpool 0-0 Stoke 😡
Absolute sh*tshow, but not awarding this as a penalty is a disgrace 😡 pic.twitter.com/9FPnC8BhBQ
— Empire of the Kop (@empireofthekop) April 28, 2018
“It looked like a clear penalty,” Henderson told Sky Sports in his post-match interview.
“I’ve just looked back on it on the tele and it’s a blatant penalty. If he doesn’t touch it with his hand Alberto [Moreno] was there for the tap in.
“It’s a really poor decision from the referee and the linesman so overall both of them have really cost us the three points.”
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said that the incident looked like a penalty to him but that his side must carry on as they prepare for their Champions League semi-final second leg with Roma next week.
“I did not want to see the situation for the handball, but someone showed me anyway, so obviously it looked for me like a penalty but we didn’t get it and we have to take that as well.
“We have to carry on. It’s an important point for us, a really important point. We need another three and we have two games and an opportunity to take them. If football is fair then we will take these three points.”
