Liverpool’s 99th-minute winner against Nottingham Forest has been marred by controversy, with referee Paul Tierney coming in for criticism over an incorrect decision made shortly before the goal
Jamie Carragher and Chris Sutton have both laid the blame at the feet of Callum Hudson-Odoi for Liverpool’s controversial winner against Nottingham Forest.
Liverpool clinched a dramatic 1-0 win in the 99th minute through a goal from striker Darwin Nunez, less than two minutes after referee Paul Tierney wrongly awarded a drop ball to Jurgen Klopp’s side when it should’ve gone to Forest. The decision has sparked uproar but like Carragher and Sutton, some believe that the relegation battlers only have themselves to blame when it comes to Nunez’s winner, particularly former Chelsea star Hudson-Odoi, who joined Forest this season.
Speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, Liverpool legend Carragher explained: “I can understand why they are so upset. I am going to put myself in the position of Nuno Espirito Santo, (Forest’s manager) and I think he will be frustrated or angry with the officials, but also his own players.
“When I go back to the Forest players and Nuno, in this situation here with Callum Hudson-Odio and Diaz. Callum Hudson-Odoi should make sure that Luis Diaz should not get that ball off him.
“The difference with Diaz, he is fighting for a title, he needs the ball back there. They make think it’s a foul with the head injury and the rules, but Callum Hudson-Odoi, do not give Luis Diaz that ball.”
Ex-Premier League striker Sutton agreed with Carragher’s verdict, declaring on the It’s All Kicking Off podcast: “(Liverpool) weren’t helped by Paul Tierney. I’m sick and tired of this whole debate and Nottingham Forest and the blame game.
“It was one minute, 52 seconds (between Tierney giving the ball to Liverpool and the goal). It’s nearly two minutes, right? So while the whole sort of attack on Paul Tierney, I think he left himself open to that and I’m not disputing any of that. But the owner (Evangelos Marinakis) coming on the pitch and some of the Forest coaches getting involved and the anger.
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“I hope they showed the same type of anger to Hudson-Odoi who could have cleared the ball. There were two occasions when Nottingham Forest players could have cleared the ball and they didn’t. So don’t blame Paul Tierney a minute and 52 seconds after that whole incident.
“Had they gone straight up the other end like a few seconds and scored. I’d understand that far more than I do at this moment in time. His viewpoint backed those of Gary Neville, who denied accusations that Tierney made a ‘monumental error’ and said that ‘two minutes in football is an absolute age.”
Nuno refused to comment on Tierney’s decision, telling BBC Sport post-match: “I don’t want to talk about the referee, sorry. We are frustrated, we are disappointed, we are sad.”
