“He seemed to move his hand in the line of the ball" - Pundit believes Liverpool should've been awarded a penalty against Chelsea
Alan Pardew reckons Liverpool should have been awarded a penalty during the Premier League opener at Chelsea on Sunday (August 13) due to a handball incident. Despite the ball striking Nicolas Jackson's hand inside the Blues penalty area, a spot-kick wasn't awarded.
Former Newcastle boss Pardew thinks a penalty should have been awarded to the Reds, as Jackson seemingly moved his arm towards the ball, telling talkSPORT:
"That particular incident, he did seem to move his hand in the line of the ball, whether it was intentionally or not. Therefore, for me, it was a penalty."
Pardew went on to talk about how there's a lack of clarity in terms of the hand ball rule inside the penalty area:
"There is no real clarity. .... But, I think it was a penalty."
Liverpool and Chelsea played out a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge. Luis Diaz opened the scoring in the 18th minute before Axel Disasi restored parity in the 37th.
What Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said about Mohamed Salah's substitution
Mohamed Salah was far from happy when he was taken off during the second half of the clash against Chelsea when the score was 1-1.
Neither team, though, were able to find one. Klopp decided to take off Salah in the second half, leaving the Egyptian unhappy. When asked whether he has had a conversation with Salah on the subject, Klopp said (via the Reds' website):
"No, I didn’t have a conversation yet with him. Actually, I don't think you ever saw Mo leaving the pitch happily - I can’t remember it. (and) that’s OK, absolutely OK.
"Today, obviously, I didn’t think in that moment about it, I didn't even know about it, that if he scored in the game, it would’ve been an all-time record (opening-day) record, so I understand his disappointment."
He added:
"But, I am the manager of the whole team, and in that moment, we needed fresh legs. I think that made real sense for us, and it is never anything to do with Mo or whatever or against him, of course not.
"Ninety-nine per cent of the things we achieved were because of him or with him. That he was not happy was clear. I understand that, and there is no problem."
Liverpool return to action against Bournemouth on Saturday, August 19, at Anfield, where they hope to register their first win of the campaign.