Souness criticizes Liverpool’s ‘unnatural’ man in West Ham win

Graeme Souness has criticized Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah for winning a penalty by falling to the ground in an “unnatural” way in his 2-1 win over West Ham.

Diogo Jota came off the bench to score in a third straight game and secure all three points for the Reds with a winning goal in the 85th minute at Anfield.

Pablo Fornals had given the Hammers a surprise early lead, but Salah tied with a controversial penalty before the half-time break.

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And Souness acknowledges that “it was not a penalty” and that Arthur Masuaku gave “Salah the opportunity to throw himself to the ground.”

Speaking in Sky sportsSouness said: “If I am the referee, I am not going to do that. It’s two players coming together in the box and Salah has fallen in a completely unnatural way.

“I could get in trouble here, but I’m with West Ham manager David Moyes here. That is a severe penalty. In the modern game you could say that this is a penalty, but it is not a penalty.

“I have seen Salah do this over and over again. I think it’s an oversight by the defender and he has given Salah a chance to drop to the ground.

“If you are within 10 yards of that, you can see that Salah has fallen in an unnatural way, you don’t give it. But the guys in the black shirts who make these decisions keep getting it wrong. “