Rooney backs awarding of ´clear penalty´

Wayne Rooney backed the decision to give Everton a penalty at Liverpool after he struck from the spot to snatch a 1-1 draw.

The Toffees spent much of Sunday’s derby clash on the back foot, but Anfield remained a tense place as Liverpool failed to add to Mohamed Salah’s wonderful solo goal in the first half.

And the Reds were made to pay for their profligacy when Dejan Lovren nudged Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the back, referee Craig Pawson pointing to the spot.

Rooney kept his cool to score his first goal in a Merseyside derby, but held an unsurprisingly different view on its awarding to a furious Jurgen Klopp.

“It is a fantastic point for us. Liverpool are a fantastic team with good individual players,” Rooney told Sky Sports. 

FT. The 229th Merseyside derby ends all square. #EFCawayday pic.twitter.com/NkrsiMVchH

— Everton (@Everton) December 10, 2017

“We knew it would be difficult and we would need to be patient. We defended brilliantly. We had two or three moments on the break that we had to take and we did that.

“It is great to play the derby. It is great for the city and there are bragging rights. The Evertonians will be more pleased. It is always nice to score against Liverpool, no matter who you play for.

“I had to keep myself composed. Lovren kicked the ball away and that gave me time.

“I knew where I was going. I practiced yesterday and thankfully I caught it right. It looked a clear penalty. He pushed him over and the ref has made the right decision.”

The result lifted Sam Allardyce’s men up to 10th, six points clear of the bottom three.