Paul Tierney’s comments were revealed amid the Liverpool controversy in the Nottingham Forest win after being questioned for awarding an uncontested drop-ball to Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher on Saturday afternoon… 

Paul Tierney’s remarks came to light during Liverpool’s controversial victory over Nottingham Forest.

The late goal secured all three points for Liverpool in the Premier League match. Nottingham Forest captain Ryan Yates claimed that Tierney justified his decision to award an uncontested drop-ball to Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher by stating “that’s the rule.” Forest fans are still unhappy with the referee’s call, as Kelleher was given possession inside his box after Ibrahima Konate’s head injury.

The home team should have been allowed to restart play as they were in possession when Tierney blew his whistle. Darwin Nunez’s 99th-minute winning goal only added to the frustration of the hosts.

Former Premier League official Mike Dean has characterized the incident as a “colossal mistake” committed by Tierney, a sentiment shared by Dermot Gallagher, who believes that Forest had legitimate grounds to feel aggrieved.

In response to the incident, Forest captain Ryan Yates has disclosed his conversation with Tierney, expressing his bewilderment at the on-field decision. “The referee informed me: ‘That’s the rule, they get the ball.’ I genuinely cannot comprehend how that is possible,” Yates stated. “We were in control of the game. We had a corner. There was merely a minor collision, and we were about to deliver another ball into the penalty area.

“Then, out of nowhere, while we were momentarily distracted, they were allowed to swiftly move the ball to the opposite end of the pitch and put us under pressure. It’s peculiar, very peculiar.

“We must utilize this incident as motivation – I believe we have no other choice. We need to start accumulating points. It’s all well and good to perform admirably, but you cannot consistently perform well week after week without reaping any rewards. We will analyze our past successes and I am confident that the points will eventually come.”

Liverpool may feel that luck finally swung in their favor amidst the chaos of Saturday afternoon, with recent questionable decisions possibly balancing out the scales after a series of controversial calls this season. The disallowed goal by Luis Diaz against Tottenham Hotspur in September stands out as the most prominent error of the 2023/24 campaign and is unlikely to be surpassed.