Everton manager David Moyes felt Luis Suarez should have been sent off even before the Liverpool striker's last-gasp effort was ruled out for offside in Sunday's Merseyside derby.
Once again the Uruguayan took all of the attention at Goodison Park, causing Leighton Baines to put his cross-shot into the net in the early stages and then celebrating by diving at the feet of Moyes.
Before the match, the Everton coach had expressed his opinion that Suarez goes down too easily and that diving is driving supporters away from the game.
Suarez also managed a second goal himself but after Everton pulled it back to 2-2, the former Ajax player had an effort incorrectly cancelled out for offside deep into injury time.
But although Moyes had no problem with Suarez's potentially provocative celebration, he said the striker should have been sent off for a challenge on Sylvain Distin, for which he received a booking.
On the celebration, Moyes said: "I thought it was great. I actually quite liked that and it's the sort of thing I'd have done if I'd have scored, but I've got to say he was a very lucky man to stay on the pitch for his tackle.
"If we'd have scored a third I probably would have done the same (diving in celebration) to him.
"They've shown me the tackle from behind down Sylvain's leg. It's over the top, down the back of the leg.
"You've got to be careful what you do. He's going to have to dive in front of a lot of managers now, isn't he?
"Sometimes the crowd take it from what the players do on the pitch, so what the players do on the pitch sometimes has an effect on the crowd."
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers felt victory against the Reds' bitter rivals would have been a significant indication of his team's development.
Rodgers took over from Kenny Dalglish in the summer and due to injuries and a lack of squad depth he has played the likes of youngsters Raheem Sterling, Suso and Andre Wisdom on a regular basis.
Liverpool remain six points behind Everton and have only managed two Premier League wins all season.
But Rodgers believes his side are making more and more progress with each week that passes.
Rodgers, whose side host his former club Swansea City in the League Cup on Wednesday, said: "It would have been a well-deserved and brilliant win for us.
"Instead, we are frustrated but at the same time I am very proud. I look at my team here in a real cauldron of an atmosphere and how they stood up to everything against a very, very experienced team.
"Raheem Sterling is 17 years old, Suso is 18, Andre Wisdom 19, Jonjo Shelvey 20, while Joe Allen and Jordan Henderson are 22. They are all young players who will only grow and get better and better."
Despite the apparently incorrect decision to disallow Suarez's late goal, Rodgers refused to blame the match officials.
"We haven't had confirmation yet (as to why the goal was ruled out) and I will certainly ask the question," he said.
"But it's gone now, so I'm not going to dwell on it."
Liverpool opened the scoring after 14 minutes at Goodison Park when Suarez's shot flew in off Baines.
They doubled their advantage when Suarez glanced in from Gerrard's free-kick but Leon Osman pulled one back for the hosts when he drove in from a poor Brad Jones punch.
Steven Naismith prodded in from Marouane Fellaini's cross before half-time before further drama followed in injury time.
Source: AFP
