Liverpool stretch lead with controversial Salah penalty, while Forest bang in seven against Brighton

Mohamed Salah’s controversial penalty put Liverpool on course for a 2-0 win at Bournemouth as the Premier League leaders moved nine points clear on Saturday.

Arne Slot’s side took the lead in the first half when Salah netted with a penalty awarded after Cody Gakpo appeared to trip over his own feet rather than go down from Lewis Cook’s challenge.

Bournemouth were left outraged after referee Darren England’s on-field decision was upheld by VAR.

“The referee’s call of penalty was checked and confirmed by VAR – with the challenge deemed to have been a trip by Cook on Gakpo. The VAR also confirmed Gakpo was onside in the build-up,” the Premier League said in a statement.

Salah added insult to injury for Bournemouth when he struck again late in the second half to extend Liverpool’s lead over second-placed Arsenal.

The Egypt forward has 21 goals from 23 league games this season, reaching the 20-mark for the fifth time in his English top-flight career.

Salah has 178 career Premier League goals, moving him one ahead of Frank Lampard into sixth place in the competition’s all-time scoring chart.

Liverpool are unbeaten in 19 league games, winning 17 of their 23 top-flight matches in a remarkable run since Slot replaced Jurgen Klopp in the close-season.

Pursuing an English record-equalling 20th title and their first in the competition since 2020, Liverpool can sit back and wait to see if old rivals Manchester City can do them a favour when they face Arsenal on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo was thrilled with his team’s wholehearted response after last weekend’s humbling defeat as they ran roughshod over Brighton and Hove Albion in a 7-0 rout on Saturday and hoped they could push on from the win.

A week after a 5-0 loss to Bournemouth, Chris Wood bagged a hat-trick and Morgan Gibbs-White, Neco Williams and Jota Silva also scored to consolidate third spot as they chase what would be their first Champions League qualification in 45 years.

“The response on the pitch from the players was beyond our expectations,” a smiling Espirito Santo told the BBC.

“We were concerned, we wanted to put it right because last week wasn’t good enough and they were aware of that and the response was great.”

In other results yesterday, Fulham stunned Newcastle 2-1 at St James’ Park, Southampton beat fellow strugglers Ipswich Town 2-1, and Everton routed Leicester City 4-0.

AFP, Reuters