Marco Silva Fulham boss accuses Darwin Nunez of “diving” to win “embarrassing” penalty

After Liverpool beat Fulham with a first-half penalty won by Darwin Nunez, opposition leader Marco Silva accused the striker of “diving”.

Mo Salah converted a penalty down the middle in their second game in a row to make it 1-0 to give Liverpool their fifth straight Premier League win.

The decisive penalty came after 39 minutes when Nunez rushed for the ball past Issa Diop, who knocked the striker down with his right leg.

After the match, Fulham manager Silva insisted it shouldn’t have been a foul.

The centre-back clearly made contact with Nunez but the striker looked like he was about to go down.

Silva said the way Liverpool scored was “embarrassing” and he found it “almost impossible to understand” why the Reds were awarded the penalty. “To lose 0-1 the way they scored I have to say is embarrassing,” he told reporters.

“Giving a penalty like that and after VAR didn’t execute that penalty, we can’t understand. It’s really hard to understand.”

The Portuguese added: “I know what I will [hear] over the next few days that it was a tough decision.

“As Darwin touched the ball, he started to rush and hit Issa with his left leg.

“They’ll say it’s hard but the referee gave it and then VAR can’t take it. “It’s always the same conversation. It’s almost impossible for us to understand that decision.”

Silva continued to allude to the referee’s comments to Diop in the second half of the match, with the centre-back insisting that “it was obviously not a penalty”.

He also questioned the VAR’s role in the decision, saying: “The referee made a mistake and the VAR is there to make that decision and not let the penalty go through, that’s clear to me.”

It was also a quiet night for referee Stuart Attwell.

Jürgen Klopp was on his best behavior after being charged by the FA over his post-match comments on Sunday, which were said to “involve bias” from Paul Tierney.

The Liverpool manager later reflected, saying: “I think the referees think I’ve questioned their integrity, the moment I sit here in silence I don’t. Of course not.”

Klopp is expected to receive a touchline ban for several matches.

Also.. 

Liverpool have spent the last two weeks trying to convince £53m Uruguayan star to join them

Liverpool have been in direct contact with Sporting’s Manuel Ugarte over a possible move to Anfield over the past two weeks.

That’s according to Football Transfers, who say the midfielder is “important” to the Reds. As a result, Liverpool have reportedly been speaking directly with Ugarte for the past two weeks.

However, the 22-year-old would not be one of the Reds’ main targets for the summer. Other players are said to be “further down” on their list of possible additions. Moreover, Jurgen Klopp is said to be more inclined to strengthen the No.8 and No.10 positions. Therefore, Ugarte is currently ‘not a priority’.

Still, Liverpool wouldn’t get in touch if they weren’t interested. One of the sticking points is said to be the value of the Uruguayan’s release clause. The Reds are currently believed to be worth around £53m and have reportedly ‘haggled’ that price. If they ultimately decide not to pay it, it looks like someone else might.

Football Transfers report that – shock – Chelsea are also hovering around Ugarte. However, Mauricio Pochettino’s hiring process is reportedly holding things back in that regard.

Liverpool continue talks with Ugarte

It seems strange to suggest that Liverpool have come to talk to a player and haggle over the price when that player is not a priority.

In the opinion of many fans, strengthening the team in the No. 6 position should be a priority anyway. We can’t risk Fabinho falling further in another season. A ready successor should be considered.

Ugarte could very well be that successor. Extremely strong in one-on-one combat, young, tough and with a high ceiling – he has many preferences.

At £53million, it’s not the most expensive option either. Obviously, Liverpool will try to negotiate if possible, but the presence of other suitors could complicate things.

However, even if they end up having to pay a full blow for Ugarte, it seems to be good value for money. At only twenty-two he has plenty of time to become a player who is worth much more.

Somewhere in the course of the talks, perhaps Ugarte will end up becoming a prime target for Liverpool. With discussions going on for a couple of weeks, you’d imagine a breakthrough wouldn’t be that far off.