The Telegraph’s Tim Rich on the scene at the Reebok Stadium after Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Bolton Monday afternoon.
Bonton captain Kevin Nolan was left with stud marks on his chest following the 30th-minute challenge, which Bolton manager Sam Allardyce said deserved a red card. Allardyce also felt that Momo Sissoko should have been sent off on the stroke of half-time when he brought down El-Hadji Diouf.
“There are clear and serious events which Liverpool have been guilty of that haven’t been dealt with,” Allardyce said. “Gerrard stamped on Nolan, and Sissoko stamped on Diouf. They are plain and clear to me.
“Both should have been sent off. It isn’t 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.”
However, Gerrard was at pains to protest his innocence. “It was a complete accident,” he said. “He fell into me, I couldn’t avoid him and that was it. I’m mates with Kevin Nolan. He’s a good Scouser, so why would I ever try to deliberately hurt him?
“We spoke at the end of the match and I wished him all the best for the rest of the season and the tackle wasn’t even mentioned. I’m very surprised and disappointed that Sam Allardyce is making an issue of it.”
I’ve seen the replay and the shots of Nolan receiving medical treatment, and I have to agree with Gerrard. Nolan didn’t look so bad…for a victim of a shark attack.
The insane match of the day if not the season took place in League 2 where hosts Wycombe dropped a 5-4 decision to Macclesfield, just their 2nd league defeat of the current campaign. After spotting the visitors a 3-0 advantage after a mere 13 minutes and storming back to take a 4-3 lead, Wanderers conceeded two late goals to the imposing Jon Parkin, (above) the result moving Macclesfield into 16th place.