Big Sam fumes as Reds let off hook

Bolton 2 Liverpool 2

Allardyce thought the Liverpool captain should have been sent off for a challenge on Kevin Nolan during the 2-2 draw yesterday.

The Bolton boss also felt Momo Sissoko should have been red-carded on the stroke of half-time when he brought down El-Hadji Diouf.

Nolan was left with stud marks on his chest following the incident in the 30th minute of a pulsating game.

Allardyce, critical of referee Mark Clattenburg, said: “There are clear and serious events which Liverpool have been guilty off that haven’t been dealt with.

“Gerrard stamped on Nolan, and Sissoko stamped on Diouf. They are plain and clear to me.

“Both should have been sent off. It is not anything other than intentional from my point of view.

“That’s sad, because the outcome would probably have been three points for us rather than a draw.

“We went in front twice and maybe would not have lost the game. I am pleased with the overall performance but not pleased with result after the decisions that were made by the referee.”

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez responded: “If we start talking about every situation I can show you a list of things that happened.”

Spanish shot-stopper Jose Reina handed Bolton the lead in the ninth minute with a serious lapse in concentration.

He failed to deal with an inswinging free-kick from Stelios and flapped at the ball. Sami Hyypia tried to rescue the situation. But the ball fell to Radhi Jaidi, who headed home.

Gerrard grabbed the equaliser in the 66th minute when he scored from the penalty spot after he had been tripped by Joey O’Brien.

Bolton regained the lead in the 71st minute thanks to Anfield old boy Diouf.

Nolan started the move, playing the ball over the top to Kevin Davies who clipped it into the area for Diouf to bundle it home.

Liverpool drew level in the 82nd minute after their substitutes linked up. Luis Garcia took a ball from Xabi Alonso on his chest; then rifled a superb shot into the net.

Benitez accused Bolton of negativity after seeing his team’s 10-match winning sequence in the league come to an end.

He also believed his team should have been given more protection.

“You see players diving all the time,” said Benitez. “You cannot play the type of football you want. We created a lot of chances. We tried to play long, short and wide.

“It was difficult because a team like Bolton like to stop the game. I am very disappointed. This kind of game is very difficult. It depends on what people [the officials] allow you.

“Peter Crouch tried to jump but he couldn’t. There were a lot of free-kicks against us. Why?

“But we showed strong character in the second half when we were playing well but losing.”

Liverpool are now 17 points behind Chelsea, but Benitez added: “I am only thinking about playing Luton in the FA Cup. We need to keep going and not worry about what other teams are doing.”

BOLTON: Jaaskelainen, O’Brien, Jaidi, N’Gotty, Gardner, Faye, Nolan, Giannakopoulos, Speed (Fadiga 90), Diouf (Ben Haim 83), Davies.

LIVERPOOL: Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Traore, Gerrard, Hamann (Alonso 64), Sissoko (Cisse 83), Kewell, Sinama Pongolle (Luis Garcia 62), Crouch.

Referee: M Clattenburg (Co Durham).