Penalty or No Penalty? Opinions Divided As Mo Salah’s Controversial Penalty Seals Draw vs Man United

Penalty or No Penalty? Opinions Divided As Mo Salah’s Controversial Penalty Seals Draw vs Man United

Godwin Nii Armah Tagoe
updated at April 8, 2024 at 5:08 AM
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  • Mohamed Salah scored late to salvage a draw for Liverpool
  • The Egyptian benefited from a controversial penalty decision
  • His goal from the spot, however, has divided opinions among fans

Mohamed Salah made headlines by breaking three remarkable records, albeit amidst controversy, during Liverpool's Premier League showdown against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

The Egyptian maestro scored from the penalty spot as the Merseyside outfit settled for a 2-2 draw in an intense encounter on Sunday afternoon.

penalty, Mohamed Salah, Liverpool, Manchester United, fans, divided, opinons, referee, controversial.
Mohamed Salah scored a controversial penalty after Harvey Elliot appeared to be fouled in the box. Photos by Michael Regan.
Source: Getty Images

Luis Diaz initially put the Reds ahead in the first half, but United staged a remarkable comeback with goals from Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo in the second half.

However, reminiscent of their recent clash against Chelsea, Erik ten Hag's side once again failed to maintain their lead. A late penalty converted by Mo Salah ensured the points were shared between the two sides.

Mo Salah reaches 3 new milestones

Salah's goal propelled him to the top of the charts as the player with the most goals scored against the Red Devils in EPL history, with an impressive tally of 11 strikes, surpassing the legendary Alan Shearer, per the Premier League.

Moreover, he surpassed Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard as the player with the most goals scored at Old Trafford by a visiting player, notching up an impressive total of six goals, as noted by SPORTBible.

In addition to these milestones, the 31-year-old also became the first visiting player to score in four consecutive league away games, further solidifying his status as one of the league's most prolific forwards.

Salah's penalty incident divides opinions

Despite the accolades, the ex-AS Roma star's goal sparked debate among football fans on social media, with opinions divided over the legitimacy of the penalty decision.

In the 81st minute, substitute Harvey Elliot made a bold move into the United box, aiming for the equaliser.

As he manoeuvred to evade the press, Aaron Wan Bissaka swiftly moved in with a challenge. However, it seemed Elliot was already losing his balance before Wan Bissaka made minimal contact in an attempt to win possession.

How fans reacted to the penalty

@kwesiijr stated with unmitigated certainty:

"This is not a penalty if we’re being honest."

@mr__topson swore it wasn't a spot-kick:

"Walahi, that's not a penalty."

@CallMeHabeeb fumed:

"In what world is that a penalty? It's a DISGRACE, ABSOLUTE DISGRACE."

Meanwhile, in the eyes of @NoahCfc__, it was a 'clear' penalty:

"It's a penalty every day of the week."

@ErlingEuphoria agreed with @NoachCfc__'s assertion:

"Legit stuck his leg out to go down it’s so obvious."

Mo Salah declares love for Messi

Sports Brief previously reported that Mohamed Salah has declared Lionel Messi his second favourite Argentine player while expressing his admiration for the reigning world champion and Ballon d'Or winner.

When questioned about his favourite player in the world champion's squad, excluding his Liverpool teammate Alexis Mac Allister, Salah promptly named Messi.

''My favourite Argentine player apart from Mac Allister? Messi. I love Messi. He is... Messi is Messi, I love Messi," the Egyptian said.
Authors
Godwin Nii Armah Tagoe photo
Godwin Nii Armah Tagoe
Godwin Nii Armah Tagoe is a Ligue 1, Bundesliga, and La Liga editor with five-year experience. He previously worked with Sports Corna and 360SportsGH.
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