Eddie Howe was left bemused at the fact Liverpool were allowed the opportunity to score an equaliser against his side even though one of his players was down in the box holding his head.
Newcastle’s Isaac Hayden and Fabian Schar were involved in a collision whilst defending a corner, the pair found themselves on the floor as a result of the incident, with the latter shortly returning to his feet.
Midfielder Hayden didn’t pick himself up from the floor, however, and was instead holding his head as a result of the collision.
“We didn’t do everything right, that’s clear. But we certainly didn’t have the luck either,” the former Bournemouth boss said after the game (via the Liverpool Echo).
“The turning point of the game is an obvious one. I can’t understand how Mike [Dean] hasn’t stopped the game. Isaac clearly holds his head immediately, laying in our six-yard box and that leads to the goal.
“It was clear to me that the game had to be stopped and for me that is a key moment in the match. I couldn’t believe what I had seen as I saw Isaac myself holding his head immediately- it wasn’t as though it changed.
“The priority always has to be the safety of the player. We talk a lot at the minute about head injuries, and I thought it was a wrong decision. I think we have been harshly treated today and it follows a similar pattern of other games we’ve had where decisions have gone against us.
“If the boot was on the other foot? I think that question could take me into dangerous territory, so I better not answer it.”
The 44-year-old has a right to feel aggrieved, especially when you consider that his side were 1-0 up at the time and that Diogo Jota equalised whilst the Toon midfielder was on the deck.
As far as the Reds are concerned, Sadio Mane, who provided the assist for the Portugal international, was right to play to the whistle and continue our attack towards Martin Dubravka in the Newcastle net.
Head injuries are something that should be taken seriously, but Mike Dean had claimed that he thought Hayden was clutching his back rather than his head.
The away side’s No .14 did complete the game so mustn’t have been experiencing any sort of concussion or lasting effects.
You can watch Howe discussing the incident below courtesy of our Twitter page.
🗣️"I can't understand how Mike's [Dean] not stopped the game."
Eddie Howe is far from happy with how one early situation in the game was handled by the officials 😡 #LFC pic.twitter.com/83EaBBQIOp
— Empire of the Kop (@empireofthekop) December 16, 2021
What clash of heads?……..it didn’t happen.
I can’t understand why you left Hayden on the pitch for the rest of the game when his “head” injury was so bad. Either Howe does not follow concussion protocols OR Hayden was play acting to stop the game OR both are lying and playing gamesmanship. JBTW TAA did not foul Wilson (who I reckon is one of the “dirtiest”/”slyest” players in the PL. You lost to a better team. Pull up your “big boy” pants and suck it up!
Indeed. This ‘head injury’ thing now has become a great tool for players to cheat.. anything dicey and all they need to do is hold their head so automatically game stops no matter circumstances? Be real Eddie.. your players knocked each other out and the only reason one didn’t get up immediately is that he tried to buy a break in a dangerous situation for Newcastle.. clear as day. If this were to become the rule anytime a team gets into a goal scoring opportunity a defender goes down clutching head and it’s automatic bail out? Think of what you are saying… we can all see and so do the refs when some really dangerous collisions happen to warrant stoping the game.. this is pathetic.. if Liverpool claimed this at Newcastle they would all be howling how soft we are and that we try and influence the refs… common..
As to the TAA challenge .. even less said is needed.. multiple replays showed impeccable tackle spot on, VAR didn’t think it was PK, ref didn’t think it was, all commentators saw it as clean tackle, Eddie knows it but still brings it up… just as a little alibi… nice try..