Whelan stunned by Liverpool controversy as footage emerges
Noel Whelan has slammed Mike Dean and the officials for failing to stop play for Liverpool’s opening goal against Newcastle United on Thursday.
The former Leeds striker, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, insisted the officials made a “big mistake” allowing the game to continue when two players were down with what appeared to be head injuries.
As quoted by James Pearce after the game (16 December), Newcastle boss Eddie Howe claimed the decision turned the game on its head.
Liverpool went on to win 3-1 after Newcastle had taken a shock lead at Anfield.
Whelan claimed the call cost Newcastle on the night.
Whelan told Football Insider’s Russell Edge: “You don’t want the referee to be the centre of attention, do you? You want the game to be the centre of attention, the quality the two teams give you over 90 minutes.
“You’re looking at the Jota goal, I mean, wow. Two collisions, two players on the floor. That should have been stopped straight away. It’s a head injury.
“There’s no way that should have carried on. You’re seeing these kinds of mistakes from referees that are costing teams. Newcastle were on the back end of that, unfortunately.
“Straight away, when you see two players on the floor and you’re watching the game when the ball’s been in that area, you must see a head collision.
“You must see that as a referee, surely. That is when the game has got to be stopped. It’s that inconsistency that we get which infuriates everybody.
“They’ve got everything at their disposal. How can they get these mistakes wrong at times? They’re not little mistakes, they’re big mistakes.”
Newcastle currently sit 19th in the Premier League table.
They face Manchester City, Manchester United and Everton before the turn of the year.
In other news, Newcastle United have made a landmark move ahead of the January transfer window.