Most Liverpool fans felt that Newcastle United captain Jamaal Lascelles should have been sent off for a challenge on Mohamed Salah.
The Reds were already on their way to a 2-0 win when Salah appeared set to put the exclamation point on the victory as he ran through on goal in the stoppage-time looking to score his 25th of the season in the Premier League.
However, a collision with Lascelles saw the Egyptian knocked off the ball and left Jurgen Klopp incredulous on the touchline as the referee – who clearly looked over to his assistant for some help – deemed the challenge to be a fair one. And Lascelles has insisted that the officials got the decision right.
“It looked like it was a penalty, but I touched the ball and it was outside of the box, so it wasn’t,” said Lascelles, as reported by the Shields Gazette. “Obviously, the initial reaction from everybody, and probably why the referee stood on the spot, was because they thought it wasn’t a penalty.
“It did look like a penalty, but I’ve watched it back and I do get a slight touch on the ball. It was outside the box anyway.”
While the Magpies skipper is adamant that the right decision was made, he will surely have to work extremely hard to try and convince Liverpool fans, and most neutrals to be fair, that he did not commit a foul as it certainly appeared that he was lucky to see out the final moments of the game.
Lascelles may get the slightest touch on the ball, but it is only after he has put his hand in Salah’s back and ensured that the forward is sent to the ground that he is able to get round and get the touch.
Luckily for Liverpool, the decision did not cost them as they were already on the verge of the win. And luckily for Newcastle, Lascelles avoided the red card and suspension – that he does not feel that he deserved anyway – that would have handed Rafa Benitez with a further blow as the Magpies battle for survival in the top flight.
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