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Liverpool legend Graeme Souness accused Mohamed Salah of falling into the box in a ‘totally unnatural way’ when he beat his team a penalty in a 2-1 win against West Ham at Anfield.
The iogo Jota winner in the 85th minute earned Liverpool all three points as they moved to the top of the table and extended their unbeaten record at home in the Premier League to a club record equaling 63 games, tying the team. Bob Paisley between February 1978 and December 1980.
However, Souness’s comments about Salah’s fall in the box will raise some eyebrows, even though television replays suggested the Egyptian was kicked by Hammers defender Arthur Masuaku.
“If I am the referee, I am not giving that,” former Liverpool Souness captain and manager told Sky Sports. “They are two players coming together in the area and Salah has fallen in a completely unnatural way.
“I may get in trouble here, but I’m with West Ham manager David Moyes here. That’s a severe penalty. You could say in the modern game that it is a penalty, but it is not a penalty.”
“I’ve seen Salah do this over and over again. I think it’s an oversight by the defender and it gave Salah a chance to get down on the ground.
“If you’re 10 yards from that, you can see that Salah has fallen in an unnatural way, you don’t give it. But the guys in black shirts who make these decisions still get it wrong.”
West Ham coach David Moyes backed Souness’s comments when he said: “I’m surprised that a penalty was given in the first half. I can’t believe we are allowing those kinds of penalties to be given.”
Meanwhile, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admitted that he was relieved to continue playing football as the Covid-19 pandemic takes hold of Europe once again.
Their Premier League champions rose to the top of the table when Diogo Jota scored a winning goal in the 85th minute to secure a 2-1 win against West Ham at Anfield, with Liverpool struggling to shoot once again in a night young Nat Phillips made an impressive Premier League debut.
“The world is in a difficult place and we are happy that we are allowed to play football,” Klopp said. “So we have to try everything to win football matches.
“It’s not about shining, or flying, or whatever, it’s about hard work … that was absolutely necessary against this opponent. It’s not about simple things because they are too good for that – you have to be cheeky, deceptive too, and we were.
“We had a lot of good football, not 500 chances or whatever, but enough. It’s a real challenge for concentration levels, and we did it. I don’t want to see each other at one point be brilliant because it’s not possible, I want to see each other. dig deep and we did it, and I’m very, very happy.
He also paid tribute to the young Phillips, who was named player of the match when he made a polished debut.
“Nat Phillips … wow,” added a beaming Klopp. “I asked him before the game if he was nervous. I told him I would be. He was awake from the first second, played his things and had a good game.
“He’s a brilliant guy, smart, smart, everything. He’s not pretty to look at, he’s not Messi, but who cares? In the air, it is a monster! It was incredible.
“For the first game, I think everyone can imagine how nervous he must be after a long wait. It’s a crazy story, three years ago he was on his way to America for college. Twelve championship teams wanted him and for me he was of course he was going, and I was fine with that, and it didn’t work for some reason, and it’s great. “
Online editors
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