Southampton boss Simon Rusk responds to Liverpool red card claims after 'only seeing one angle'

Simon Rusk gave his opinion on Jarell Quansah's challenge on Mateus Fernandes late in Liverpool's 2-1 win over Southampton

Simon Rusk admits he thought Jarell Quansah was fortunate not to be penalised for a supposed foul on Southampton’s Mateus Fernandes in his side’s League Cup quarter-final defeat to Liverpool. Goals from Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott had given the Reds a comfortable lead at the break, but Cameron Archer ensured a nervy finish at St. Mary’s.

Fernandes went down when trying to get through one-on-one in the last minute under pressure from the Reds centre-back, but appeals for a foul were waved away, much to the fury of Saints supporters.

And Rusk, who was only appointed interim manager at Southampton following their 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, was left ruing his side’s misfortune as they exited the League Cup to Liverpool.

“I think… listen, I’ve only seen one angle of it at the moment,” he said of Quansah’s challenge. “I think you can get it and not get it, that one.

“I probably need to see a couple more angles before I am more conclusive about my opinion. I felt, my natural instinct was that it was a foul.

“Maybe we didn’t get the rub of the green with that one. We didn’t get it so we move forward.”

He continued: “I think it was probably expected in some way shape or form that we might not have the footprint that we wanted on the game in the first half.

“The priority for us was to get in at half-time, make sure we were still in the game as a basic principle, and then grow into it.

“The nature of the first goal is a little bit unfortunate really. But in the second half, the guys stood up to it, didn't wilt and grew into the game. Maybe on another day, we go and nick the second.”