David Ngog accused of cheating in Liverpool draw

David Ngog was accused of cheating after his outrageous dive rescued Liverpool from another humiliating defeat.

Birmingham’s Lee Carsley insisted he did not make contact with Ngog when the striker went sprawling in the box to earn a penalty that rescued a point.

And Blues manager Alex McLeish said Ngog had conned referee Peter Walton.

Even Rafa Benitez admitted it was not a penalty and a furious Carsley said: "I was absolutely nowhere near him. It's a joke.

"I'm sure he's got a family, well, if I went home having done that I'd be embarrassed. You're supposed to be teaching your kids an example and that is just an embarrassing case of cheating.

"I knew I didn't touch him and I said to the referee to book me or send me off, it would have made me feel better. But the lad's taken a chance and got his team a point so I'm sure they'll be patting him on the back."

McLeish was aggrieved at the spot-kick from which Steven Gerrard marked his return from injury to salvage a draw for the Reds.

"This is a shame for the game," he said. "He conned the referee and got his team a penalty.

"Peter Walton is a good referee, but he got that one wrong. If it hadn't been for the penalty, I thought we'd have gone on to win it.

"I don't think there is any debate about it, it's a clear dive by Ngog. He's won his team a penalty. It happens in the game and it's happened for centuries and we just have to take it on the chin.

"He's a top referee and when he looks at it, I'm sure he will agree that it was not a penalty. He's an honest enough guy and I'm sure he will see that Ngog dived a great dive.

"Lee's never touched him. Lee's dived in and when you do that, there's always a risk, but there was no contact. It's not even close to being a penalty."

Benitez, who lost Albert Riera and Yossi Benayoun with hamstring tears, admitted his side had got a lucky break, but felt a point was the least they deserved for their improved display.

"Maybe it wasn't a penalty," said the Liverpool manager. "I was speaking with Ngog and he said maybe it wasn't.

"If it's clear, it's clear and it's something you have to say. Sometimes these things go against you and this year we have had a lot of decisions go against us.

"Tonight it went for us, but we were attacking and attacking and we deserved at least a draw."

Liverpool's run of just one win from nine games leaves them seventh in the league, 11 points behind Chelsea.

However Benitez, who has still not beaten Birmingham in the league in seven attempts, refuses to concede defeat in the title race and said: "I have always said we take it one game at a time.

"We are not talking about anything else. We are not talking about the table. I thought our performance was pretty good and we showed character."