Steve Bruce laments ‘wrong’ decision from officials as Liverpool awarded controversial penalty in victory over Sunderland

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Steve Bruce has criticised the decision-making of referee Kevin Friend and his assistant after the two combined to give Liverpool a controversial penalty at the Stadium of Light in the Reds 2-0 victory over Sunderland.

The incident occurred when John Mensah brought down Jay Spearing, and Friend at first gave a free kick outside the area but after consulting with his linesman awarded the visitors the spot kick, which Dirk Kuyt duly put away.

Bruce told Sky Sports: “For me that was the turning point of the game. We were well beaten after that.

“That for me is the turning point of the game. Up until then, 32 or 33 minutes in, there’s nothing in it and it’s big decision again unfortunately for me that they’ve got wrong.”

The Sunderland manager admitted he went to see the officials at half-time to clarify the event but the former Wigan boss remained angry after deeming the linesman too far away to make a correct decision.

He said: “I went to the referee and the linesman at half time and I asked the question, the referee was 10 yards from the incident.

“The incident clearly took place outside the box, there’s not a second challenge that tumbles him in the box. If you look at John Mensah, when he goes to ground he’s a yard outside when he makes contact. It was a mistake from him, he’s tried to rectify the mistake.”

Bruce added: “The referee was 10 yards away, gives a free-kick and stands there and gives a free-kick for at least 20 seconds and then obviously the linesman’s jumped in from 80 yards away and gives a decision which obviously is wrong.

“Now I’m all for getting the decision right and if that decision had been right then you’ve got no question to it, but to give the decision from 80 yards away when the referee is 10 away when the referee’s first reaction was it was outside is not good.”