Newcastle boss John Carver bemoans 'huge penalty decision' in 2-0 defeat at Liverpool

John Carver insists the decision to not award Newcastle a ‘stone-wall’ first-half penalty against Liverpool cost his side the chance to claim a positive result.

Trailing to Raheem Sterling’s ninth-minute strike, Newcastle came back into the match just before the break and thought they should have had a spot-kick when Dejan Lovren caught Ayoze Perez in the penalty area.

Referee Lee Mason did not thinks so but Carver thought it was a decision that changed the game.

"I thought it was good reaction after last weekend,” Carver told Sky Sports.

“We had energy and caused Liverpool some real problems and it was a huge decision that changed the game when Perez went down under Lovren's challenge.

"I’ve looked at it. At the time I thought it was stone-wall penalty and looking back at it, it was.”

Carver was extremely disappointed with his side’s effort in their 1-0 derby defeat to Sunderland last weekend but he was proud of his side’s efforts at Anfield.

"We were tentative in the first 10 minutes but we grew into the game and started believing we could actually do something,” he added.

“We had a little bit of pressure on their goal. We didn’t get the penalty and Ayoze Perez forced an outstanding save from the goalkeeper. We were right in the game.

We came here for three points and we’ve got none and that’s disappointing. But I cannot fault the effort that we gave tonight.

“I did last weekend and rightly so but we’ve had a go tonight and it’s disappointing. Last weekend was hard to take but at least we’ve restored some pride.”

Newcastle’s night got worse when Moussa Sissoko received his marching order for two late yellow cards but Carver believes the Frenchman can have absolutely no complaints.

He said: “I think he’s quite fortunate to get a yellow rather than a red if I’m being perfectly honest.

“The fact that he’s give an yellow and another it should be a one match suspension but he’s already been sent off this season so it will be two. Two’s better than three and that’s how we have to look at it.”

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