Fulham were furious at Anfield on Wednesday night with one player claiming that even the referee did not believe Mo Salah’s penalty had been awarded.
Just 3 days after officials were at the climax following Liverpool’s chaotic win over Tottenham, the same venue again sparked controversy, this time having little to do with Jurgen Klopp’s antics. Instead, the topic of discussion focused on the decisive moment of adjustment. in the 39th minute when Darwin Núñez fell into the box after stripping Issa Diop.
Referee Stuart Attwell pointed to the venue, his appeal appearing justified through a quick VAR check. However, slow-motion replays gave the impression of showing Diop avoiding touching the Uruguayan striker, with midfielder Tom Cairney later claiming that Attwell had said the idea.
“I think we played very well at times, but to waste a penalty that wasn’t a penalty is a kick in the know-it-all,” Cairney told Fulham’s official website. “At the time, I wasn’t sure. The referee made a decision, I think he saw the contact. I asked him in the field, “Just make sure they check it out. “He said they checked it.
And according to Cairney, the referee’s admission came later that night: “He told one of our players at the time that it wasn’t a penalty, so it’s frustrating because it’s up to others to make the right decision. “I didn’t touch it, Nunez took an extra step and then passed it, and then you lose to something like that at Anfield, which is frustrating when we’re looking to climb as high as possible.
Fulham manager Marco Silva had already gone a step further than his midfielder, telling reporters that losing with such resolve was “shameful”. And like Cairney, he didn’t know why VAR didn’t intervene.
“When you have the referee and then the VAR the referee, it’s embarrassing,” he said. “I haven’t spoken to the referee. I think my players and everyone who is fair will say the same thing. I’ll stay tuned. In the next few days it is a difficult resolution but for me it is obviously not a penalty. The player is already in the air. “
The result meant a third consecutive defeat for Silva’s side, but the Cottagers remain on course to achieve their first top 10 in the Premier League since 2011-12. They are tenth, but five points ahead of Crystal Palace below them with four games to play.
Klopp, meanwhile, has refrained from commenting on the penalty decision, after seeing his side keep their faint hopes for the smarter four alive. On Tuesday, the FA charged the Liverpool manager for his post-match comments about Paul Tierney. after the Spurs win, accusing the official of bias opposed to his team.
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