Liverpool penalty 'very soft' but Spurs boss Pochettino accepts decision

The decisive penalty won by Liverpool in Sunday's 2-1 win over Tottenham was "very soft", according to Mauricio Pochettino.

Published : Oct 28, 2019 11:03 IST

Mauricio Pochettino believes Liverpool was awarded a "soft" penalty in its 2-1 Premier League victory against Tottenham but accepted the referee's decision to point to the spot.

Sunday's clash at Anfield was poised at 1-1 when referee Anthony Taylor adjudged that Spurs full-back Serge Aurier had fouled Sadio Mane inside the box.

Mohamed Salah converted the subsequent spot-kick 15 minutes from time to complete Liverpool's comeback win after Jordan Henderson had cancelled out Harry Kane's 47-second opener.

Tottenham manager Pochettino feels the call was a little harsh on his side, who end the weekend in 11th place following the side's fourth league defeat of the campaign.

"I don't want to complain - I need to accept the decision of the referee and the VAR," he said at his post-match news conference. "Technically maybe it's a penalty because there's some contact. But to be honest, the ball is going away.

READ: Liverpool 2-1 Tottenham: Salah hits winner as Klopp's men sink Spurs

"It's an action that you know is very soft. The penalty was given and we need to accept it's the decision of the referee or the VAR."

Son Heung-min was instrumental in creating Kane's early goal and struck the crossbar early in the second half with Tottenham still in front.

However, Henderson equalised for Liverpool four minutes later and Pochettino was left to rue what could have been.

"This season, we have deserved to get more points in the table," he said. "These things happen and that is the moment to stay stronger. 

"Maybe in different seasons this type of situation results in 2-0 or 3-0 for us in the second half but today it was a different way."

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Tottenham finds itself in the bottom half of the Premier League in November for the first time since 2014, but Pochettino is not blaming his players for the side's disappointing start to the campaign and wants them to stay united.

"I am behind our squad, supporting them fully," he said. "We have 29 players and they will all have the opportunity to play. After five years and a half at Tottenham it is a time to all be together and show our support.

"It was a very competitive game today and we competed well. I am of course a little bit disappointed in that with the ball we didn't have the possession in playing and forcing them to play deeper. In that aspect I'm disappointed but we competed and we need to keep pushing.

"We were playing today against a very good team. I think Liverpool are one of the best teams in Europe and we were very competitive."

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