Jurgen Klopp has suggested Liverpool’s lack of penalties in the Premier League this season contributed to Mohamed Salah’s missed spot kick at Bournemouth.
The Reds fell to a 1-0 defeat in Saturday’s early kick-off, less than a week on from thrashing Manchester United 7-0 on a hugely frustrating afternoon on the coast.
Liverpool got their first penalty in 11 months… and missed (Picture: Getty)
Virgil van Dijk was at fault as the hosts took the lead after 28 minutes through Philip Billings with Liverpool struggling to fight their way back into the contest.
They were given hope in the 68th minute when Adam Smith blocked Diogo Jota’s goal-bound header with his arm, with the referee pointing to the spot after a VAR check.
Salah stepped up but blasted a wild effort over the bar and into the Vitality Stadium stands as the Cherries held onto a crucial three points.
The missed spot kick was the first penalty Liverpool have been awarded in the league this season, having last received one in April 2022.
Speaking to BT Sport post-match, Klopp hinted that wait was a factor in Salah skying one from 12 yards.
Salah fired his effort well over the bar (Picture; Getty)
Klopp said: ‘The last penalty we got, I don’t know when it was, in the league at least, it was long ago. It’s obviously… yep.
‘It’s completely hypothetical if we score there the game could turn but it doesn’t make the performance better but it could change the result at least. That’s it. He scores a lot of goals but missed a penalty but that’s life.
Joe Cole was also left mystified by Salah’s miss having watched the Egypt international torment United at Anfield last Sunday.
‘It’s so unusual (for him) especially after what he did last week, he’d be brimming with confidence,’ Cole said.
‘If anything he’s gone too high with it, he’s gone to put that right in the old school stanchion. He didn’t need that, the goalie’s gone, it’s just so unusual for a player of his quality to miss penalties.
‘That just summed up Liverpool’s day maybe a mentality problem and against the smaller clubs.’
Liverpool missed the chance to move into the top four with Tottenham still three points clear as a result of Saturday’s defeat.
source: metro.co.uk
