'Lot of long shots' - Eddie Howe plays down Liverpool xG record in double refereeing complaint
Eddie Howe was adamant that Liverpool should not have been awarded their second penalty in the Reds’ 4-2 victory over Newcastle United.
Mohamed Salah had already seen a first-half spot-kick saved by Martin Dubravka when he stepped up to clinch the win from 12-yards late on after the Slovakian had tripped Diogo Jota. The Portuguese went to ground following contact after rounding the goalkeeper, with a VAR check confirming the decision to award a penalty.
However, there has been wider debate from onlookers, with the likes of Premier League legends Alan Shearer and Ian Wright both criticising the forward for not scoring into the open net and accusing him of diving.
Speaking after the final whistle, Howe insisted that referee Anthony Taylor had got the decision wrong while before sharing his belief that his own side should have been awarded a penalty themselves moments earlier.
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“There are two ways to look at it,” he told reporters. “The challenge on Sean Longstaff for me was a penalty, and that changes the game massively.
“And then Liverpool go up the other end in the same attack, and for me that wasn’t a penalty. That’s a very tough moment for us.”
He continued: “I don’t necessarily think we were open. I just think it doesn’t help when you concede two penalties. The xG of two penalties itself are huge.
“Two penalties, one I didn’t think was and the other I thought was very soft. Of course there were other moments where we didn’t defend well enough. They had a lot of long shots tonight as well.
“Take away the penalty moments, the goals we conceded
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