Mo Salah could be forgiven for feeling more than a little frustrated at the lack of support and protection he receives from referees following the latest refusal to award him a penalty.
The Egyptian was outmatched one-on-one, eventually being brought down as he was shooting after being harassed by his opponent, and the lack of a penalty award had him positively fuming around the hour mark.
“Salah doesn’t fall down, he stays on his feet. He eventually makes half a shot and says okay, give me my penalty now. Because he hasn’t gone down, he doesn’t get it,” Pat Nevin told BBC Radio 5 Live (via BBC Sport). “He’s furious and I kind of understand that.”
The Merseysiders are currently 3-1 up against the visitors thanks to goals from Bobby Firmino and Darwin Nunez.
READ MORE: Next owners of Liverpool: the best and worst scenarios after FSG statement – Opinion
The approach to awarding fouls leaves our No. 11, and others like him, in a somewhat difficult position.
Ideally we want to encourage attackers to stay on their feet, but there seems to be very little incentive to do so when a penalty could have been won had Salah dropped early and made the most of the contact on him.
You can understand why Jurgen Klopp was foaming with anger during the 1-0 win over Manchester City given how often opponents are free to kick our Egyptian king down the pitch.
EOTK INSIDER: Does FSG want to sell Liverpool? What is really going to happen?… and more