Rafa Benitez says he took Aleksandar Mitrovic off at half-time to “protect him” after the Serbian international picked up a yellow card in the first half of the 1-0 over Wolves.
After being harshly booked for backing into Richard Stearman, a challenge on goalkeeper Carl Ikeme had Wolves fans shouting for his dismissal. But Mitrovic stayed on and scored the winner to deliver three important points.
Yet Benitez felt that Mitrovic should have had a penalty earlier in the game when he was impeded in the box with ref Craig Pawson waving away protests.
When asked if Mitrovic was lucky to stay on, Benitez said afterwards: “We complained about the penalty that wasn’t given too. After the penalty he had a yellow card and was under pressure.
“In the end I am pleased because he got the winning goal because he was working so hard. I took him out because with the pressure of the fans on top of him I think it was important to protect him and the team.
“I was not thinking about the next game, I was thinking about this one and keeping 11 players on the pitch.
“Also we needed to have a certain type of game in the second half after being 1-0 up we knew they’d be on top and there would be space behind as well.”
Wolves pressed hard for an equaliser but failed to find a way past Karl Darlow.
Benitez said: “They were dangerous in the first half from crosses because they were winning a lot of second balls. When we managed the situation in the second half and controlled it better.
“They played long balls into the strikers and it was easier for our centre-backs as they can defend straight balls. It was easier for us to play on the counter attack.”