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Jamie Carragher: Everton penalty award at Liverpool was correct decision

Jordan Henderson (2L) and Liverpool's Dejan Lovren (2R) talk with referee Craig Pawson (L) after Lovren conceded a penalty v Everton
Image: Liverpool were left fuming by referee Craig Pawson's decision

Jamie Carragher believes Craig Pawson was right to award Everton a second-half penalty in their 1-1 draw at Liverpool on Sunday.

Jurgen Klopp was left furious after Dominic Calvert-Lewin went down under the challenge of Dejan Lovren at Anfield, allowing Wayne Rooney to step up and give Everton an unlikely equaliser in a game dominated by the hosts.

But former Liverpool defender Carragher said Pawson's decision was correct, and branded Lovren's challenge as "stupid".

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Watch highlights of the 1-1 draw between Liverpool and Everton

Carragher said on Sky Sports: "[Klopp is a] very frustrated manager, and rightly so. It was a game Liverpool should have won quite comfortably.

"I think his frustration comes from the fact that Everton weren't that adventurous and came to defend. But whether you defend for 95 minutes, it doesn't matter - they've got the result they wanted, and it all hinges on the penalty.

"It's a penalty. What is Lovren doing? People say it's soft, but that doesn't mean it's not a penalty. As soon as he's felt his hands on his shoulders, he [Calvert-Lewin] has gone down."

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Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was left angered at the referee's decision

Liverpool dominated chances and possession in the Merseyside derby on Super Sunday, and Carragher questioned why Croatian defender Lovren was running at young striker Calvert-Lewin at such pace when the Everton man was heading towards the corner flag.

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"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.

"Liverpool's defenders weren't asked to do much today, and the one time they were asked, they made a stupid mistake, so they've only got themselves to blame."

Wayne Rooney scores the equalising goal from the penalty spot
Image: Jamie Carragher said Pawson's decision to award Everton the penalty, scored by Wayne Rooney, was correct

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