Liverpool star Mohamed Salah does not deserve his growing reputation for diving, insists talkSPORT’s Merseyside correspondent Graham Beecroft.
All eyes were on the Egyptian ace again this weekend, for the wrong and right reasons, during the Reds’ 4-3 thriller against Crystal Palace.
Salah scored twice in the dramatic victory at Anfield – taking his tally to 50 Premier League goals – but the win over partly overshadowed by his attempts to earn his side a penalty against the Eagles.
The winger was accused of diving when he went to ground under a challenge from former Red Mamadou Sakho. It appeared Salah was kicked by the Palace defender, but his fall to the turf was delayed and the penalty kick was not given.
Salah’s antics angered the Crystal Palace players, with Luka Milivojevic confronting the Liverpool man and screaming in his face before they were separated.
It’s not the first time Salah has faced diving accusations this season. The Reds flyer has won three penalties in recent weeks against Newcastle United, Arsenal and Brighton, and many have blasted the Egyptian for going to ground too easily.
But our man in Merseyside has defended the Liverpool star, saying his reputation is unfair and that he is routinely ‘hacked to pieces’ by defenders.