Eddie Howe says Mike Dean should have stopped play before Liverpool’s equaliser against Newcastle

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe felt referee Mike Dean’s decision not to stop play for an apparent head injury was the pivotal moment of the game as Liverpool equalised before going on to win 3-1.

Leading through Jonjo Shelvey‘s early strike, Isaac Hayden collided with Jamaal Lascelles and was on the floor in the six-yard area when Diogo Jota followed up his own header to score.

Within four minutes Mohamed Salah’s 22nd of the season put Jurgen Klopp’s side ahead and Trent Alexander-Arnold’s long-range 87th-minute blast sealed the points.

Eddie Howe was unhappy with Mike Dean for not stopping play before Liverpool’s equaliser

‘We didn’t do everything right, that’s clear, but we certainly didn’t have the luck either,’ said Howe, who has taken five points from his six matches in charge.

‘The turning point of the game is an obvious one, I can’t understand how Mike’s not stopped the game.

‘Isaac clearly holds his head immediately lying in our six-yard box with another player and that leads to the goal.

Diogo Jota (right) scored Liverpool’s equaliser after Jonjo Shelvey had opened the scoring

Newcastle’s Isaac Hayden was down with a head injury at the time of Jota’s equalising goal due to a collision with Jamaal Lascelles (far right, talking to referee Dean)

‘At the time it was clear to me the game had to be stopped and it wasn’t. That is the key moment in the match.

‘I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The priority always has to be the safety of the player, we talk a lot at the moment about head injuries and I felt that was a wrong decision and we were harshly treated today.

‘He was treated and taken off to the side of the pitch and still didn’t look 100 per cent himself.

Newcastle players gathered around referee Dean to protest his decision to play on 

Hayden left the field with medics but was able to come on finish the rest of the match

‘It follows a similar pattern where the rub of the green has gone against us. You play at Anfield and have the lead and then suddenly they get the goal and the crowd are up.’

Liverpool manager Klopp, who saw his side become the first in English history to record 2,000 top-flight victories, understood Howe’s frustrations but did not see it clearly enough to comment.

‘I saw a player down when we scored a goal there was only one player down. I spoke to the linesman and he said “all fine”,’ he said.

‘I cannot judge the situation down there. We were not involved in the incident as far as I know, they jumped into each other if things people told me are right. I can imagine Eddie is not happy about that.’

Goals from Mo Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold sealed a 3-1 victory for the title challengers