What Craig Pawson told Sean Dyche after Ibrahima Konate escaped red card vs Everton

Sean Dyche has revealed what referee Craig Pawson told him about the controversial moment that saw Liverpool escape a sending-off in their Merseyside derby victory over Everton.

The Reds claimed a 2-0 win at Anfield, with Mo Salah firing a second-half double. Yet the game was awash with questionable refereeing decisions. Ashley Young was given his marching orders for the Toffees in the first half for two bookable offences.

But with the game still goalless, Everton thought that Liverpool should have been reduced to 10 men. Ibrahima Konate was already on a caution when he hauled down Blues striker Beto. Yet Pawson wasn’t interested before Konate was soon hooked off by Jurgen Klopp.

Liverpool broke the deadlock through Salah from the penalty spot in the 75th minute after Luis Diaz’s cross hit the flailing arms of Michael Keane. That’s despite Pawson turning down the appeal before VAR intervened. Salah then sealed the win for the Reds in stoppage-time.

Speaking at his post-match press conference, Dyche said: “From a group of players giving maxim to the cause and the decision that was made, I was very pleased with that side of things. First half, we quelled the game defensively and didn’t create as much as we have recently. We definitely weren’t as clean or fluid as we have been but they’re a good side and we defended very well.

“The sending-off happens. The first is touch and go, the second yellow is a yellow but that’s the way it goes. Second half, we change the shape and it worked realy well because we wanted to take the sting out of the game, they were kicking into the Kop and all of them things.

“Then, of course the penalty changes it and it’s difficult after to try to change the mental format to come out and play more aggressively on the attack. I don’t like the model rule of it but I’m aware of it. If it hits your arm, it’s a penalty. It used to be that you had to make a deliberate act but I’m not crying it in, they are the rules. I don’t know about you but I’m getting bored of all this running over to the TV because we all know what’s going to happen.

“I don’t know what the strike rate is but it’s probably a 99% chance the referee is going to give whatever he’s been given. They’ve talking about speeding the game up, just get on with it. There’s someone in an office with 47 views. If it's a penalty, it’s a penalty but that’s for the greater good rather than today’s game.”

Asked about why he thought Konate was not dismissed, Dyche replied: “I have no clue. I’ve asked the referee and he said he didn’t feel it was a bookable offence and felt that straight away. I don’t know what is then. I’d like to think there are a lot of fair-minded people in football and people here today would be stunned that’s a second yellow.

“Their manager took his player off his quick as he could and I imagine he thought: I got away with one there. But he couldn’t wait to get him off. He knows and we know.”