Liverpool duo Mohamed Salah and Curtis Jones have been accused of conning referee John Brooks in the Reds’ 2-1 win over Chelsea on Sunday.
Salah and Jones scored either side of a Nicolas Jackson equaliser for Enzo Maresca’s side to beat the Blues and maintain their one-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
Egypt international Salah was successful from the penalty spot after Jones was brought down by Levi Colwill in the box after the Liverpool forward had earlier felt that he’d been denied a spot-kick.
Gary Neville suggested on the live Sky Sports commentary that Salah had deserved a yellow card for diving after his fall under a challenge from Colwill.
And beIN Sports presenter Richard Keys agrees with Neville and reckons both Salah and Jones were out to “con” the refereee.
Keys wrote in his blog: “It was billed as Liverpool’s first big test of the season. Turns out it wasn’t.
“I thought Chelsea were passive and largely ineffective and that description would sum up Cole Palmer’s contribution as well. I’m a massive Palmer fan, but he had a day to forget – just four shots – none on target and he created only one chance for his team mates. In total, Chelsea only had two shots on target. Forest provided a much stiffer test – and Liverpool failed that one.
“But on this occasion fair play to Liverpool – they beat what was in front of them, despite a series of bizarre decisions from the ref.
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“My first question about his appointment would be why? This was only his second game of the season. It was too big for him. He was way off the pace. Why give him such a big game when he hasn’t been reffing?
“Chelsea should’ve had a pen before Brooks eventually gave Liverpool one. Sancho’s foot was clearly trodden on Kop end. Pen. Why was there no review?
“Salah tried to con one out of Brooks before Curtis Jones did. You could hear Brooks’ mind working ‘damn, I’ve just turned one down l, I’ll have to give this’. Yes, there was contact but it was no more or less than there had been on Sancho. It certainly wasn’t enough to send Jones tumbling.
“I thought the next one might have been. Ok, Sanchez got something on the ball, but it continued towards goal and had Jones not been brought down he might easily have scored.
“Incidentally – Chelsea won’t win anything with Sanchez in goal. He’s not good enough.”
