SAM BACKS FOUL-MOUTHED ROO

was the second Saturday running that the Everton boss had hauled off the former England skipper — and this time the humiliation appeared to get to Rooney.

But Allardyce insisted that if it was the correct decision to make for the good of the team, a player’s status was no protection from the hook.

He added: “No one is too big to come off. I would expect a reaction like that. It’s a Merseyside derby. He’s a proud Evertonian.

“I make the decisions and I think everyone would agree all three substitutions made a difference when they came on.

“I make these decisions for the benefit of the team as a whole, not one individual.

“Everyone would agree that Liverpool were a lot happier at hearing the final whistle.”

Reds boss Jurgen Klopp faces a race against time to have 38-goal Mo Salah fit for Tuesday night’s Champions League quarter-final second leg against Manchester City.

Asked whether Salah’s groin strain would heal in time for him to play a part at the Etihad Stadium, the German retorted: “I don’t get a ticker tape every five minutes telling me about him. We will have to see.”

Klopp also started the game with Roberto Firmino on the bench in readiness for defending the 3-0 lead from the first leg.

He was relieved to come away with a goalless draw, and added: “We were not here to have a wild derby. We did well considering I changed five positions.”