Southampton boss: "It is a clear penalty and in such moments the game can turn in our direction."
Sunday 2 February 2020 07:15, UK
Ralph Hasenhuttl says his Southampton side should have had a "clear penalty" for a tackle on Danny Ings in the build-up to Liverpool's opener in their 4-0 win at Anfield on Saturday.
Shortly before former Saints midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored the first in a 4-0 rout, ex-Liverpool striker Ings went down under a clumsy challenge from Fabinho in the box but play continued.
Hasenhuttl thinks the decision could have changed the game.
He said: "You need brave decisions from the referee. To say 'no goal and penalty', here at Anfield, that won't happen.
"In the first half there was a backpass to the Liverpool goalkeeper [not given], that's another decision, maybe this is why it's so difficult to win here.
"It is a clear penalty and in such moments the game can turn in our direction.
"Maybe the result is a little high but I would like to watch this game if we went one goal up."
Oxlade-Chamberlain's goal just after the break deflated a scrappy Southampton side, and Reds captain Jordan Henderson doubled the lead on the hour before Mohamed Salah's late double.
Austrian manager Hasenhuttl, despite the result, was pleased with the Saints' performance.
"The best team in the world, for 50 minutes, had no real chances and we had a massive one.
"The way we played was unbelievably good and I am proud and stand by our plan.
"In the end it was a deserved win for Liverpool, but we played the best we can so I am very proud."
Liverpool's victory took Jurgen Klopp's side an astonishing 22 points clear at the top of the Premier League.
"The readiness to improve and learn from the game is what we had to do to win," said Klopp. "The set-up of Southampton I could not give more credit to.
"They had too many shots on target and we had to change in the second half. That helped massively and when we are rolling it's difficult to stop.
"Even when it was 4-0 Southampton did not stop and I have so much respect for that."
