FORMER Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher defended the decision to award Liverpool a penalty against Saints, claiming Will Smallbone's tackle was "clumsy".

The Reds were given a controversial spot-kick after Republic of Ireland international Smallbone was adjudged to have tripped fellow goalscorer Darwin Nunez.

Having reached the ball first, Darwin went down under minimal contact from Smallbone, who had given Saints the lead on the stroke of half time.

Southampton manager Ivan Juric insisted there was not enough contact to award a penalty and defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis dubbed it a "soft" decision.

READ MORE: Southampton's Juric bemoans VAR call in defeat to Liverpool

However, Gallagher, who retired from officiating in 2007, agreed with referee Lewis Smith and VAR Matt Donohue.

Speaking on Sky Sports' Ref Watch, the Irishman said: "I think it's a penalty. When you make a challenge like that, you have to get the ball and he doesn't. It's clumsy. He catches the man."

Some Saints supporters felt Uruguay international Darwin was lucky to stay on the pitch long enough to score Liverpool's equaliser and win a penalty.

The 25 year old avoided anything more than a yellow card for a reckless tackle on full-back Kyle Walker-Peters in first half additional time.

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Gallagher accepted that the tackle was "petulant" but insisted it was not dangerous enough to be upgraded to a red.

"It was petulant, if he had really followed through, it would have been a red card but it was really unwise," he explained.

"I think it's a yellow card. It doesn't have the intensity or the violence if you like (to be a red card), but it's not a wise tackle.

"It could have been a lot worse. I think that is what saved him. It's petulant, why he does it, only he knows."

Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock added: "It's a cowardly tackle, I hate those kinds of tackles because it's so disrespectful to your fellow professional."