Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg believes Stuart Attwell got the big calls right in Sunday’s Merseyside derby.
Liverpool claimed a 2-0 win over Everton at Anfield thanks to two second-half goals. Andy Robertson headed the Reds ahead before substitute Divock Origi sealed all three points for Jurgen Klopp's side.
However, the game was full of talking points with Attwell being forced into making numerous big calls throughout the 90 minutes as tempers flared - the first of those arriving in the first half.
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After a challenge by Abdoulaye Doucoure on Fabinho, things got heated between both sets of players with Sadio Mane raising his hand to the faces of both Allan and Mason Holgate. But instead of a red card being shown, referee Attwell instead booked the forward.
“It was during that skirmish that Sadio Mane was caught on camera pushing Allan in the face,” Clattenburg said of the incident.
“The Liverpool winger then poked his finger into the face of Mason Holgate, who ran to Attwell to lodge a complaint. Mane is a fool for even running the risk in a match that Liverpool had to win, but neither incident was violent.
“They were petulant acts and deserved the yellow card he received for being the aggressor. Overall, Attwell can be proud of how he handled a game with so much riding on it. He didn't hinder the spectacle and did his job.”
While Everton boss Frank Lampard was also left miffed when Anthony Gordon was seemingly brought down inside the box by Joel Matip shortly before the Reds took the lead. Despite the winger's and Everton's appeals, Attwell decided against awarding a spot-kick.
The incident came after Gordon was booked in the first half for diving after going down inside the box looking for a penalty. And Clattenburg believes Attwell got both calls correct and there wasn’t enough for a spot-kick to be awarded following Matip’s challenge.
“Unfortunately, Everton's Anthony Gordon is in danger of picking up a reputation for trying to con referees — and that won't help him in his career,” he wrote in his Daily Mail column.
“He tried to fool Stuart Attwell into thinking Naby Keita had fouled him in the box when he hadn't. It was an obvious dive and, with VAR, players should know they cannot get away with penalty-box antics any more. Someone ought to remind the youngster of that.
“In the second half, Gordon went down again when Joel Matip challenged him. Everton screamed for a penalty, but Attwell got this one right too. There wasn't enough for a spot-kick and playing on was the correct call.”
Clattenburg then added on an incident involving Jordan Henderson and Richarlison, saying: “Richarlison later kicked out at Jordan Henderson in frustration and received a yellow card. It was the right decision as nothing more was needed.”
Last year Clattenburg admited he was out of his depth when officiating the controversial Goodison derby that still outrages Everton fans.
Clattenburg awarded Liverpool two penalties and sent off Tony Hibbert and Phil Neville with the Reds earning a dramatic 2-1 Premier League triumph in October 2007.
