Liverpool star Mohamed Salah reveals his “dislike of the Europa League” amid narrow victory over Fulham 

Liverpool achieved five straight wins with a 1-0 victory over Fulham, and the media praised the Reds’ professional work.

Jurgen Klopp’s men won in dramatic fashion against Tottenham last weekend, but this time Anfield witnessed a more serene three points.

The game was settled by Mo Salah’s penalty in the first half, after a foul on Issa Diop’s Darwin Nunez, and Liverpool saw victory with relative ease.

“May 3 is a date that has become synonymous with Liverpool booking a place in a Champions League final. Last year they were at Villarreal, while in 2005 they played a titanic battle here with Chelsea.

“However, it’s safe to say that this opportunity was as far away from those big stages as you can imagine.

“Liverpool’s results have improved lately, but don’t kid yourself and think this is a welcome leap towards the finish line for everyone associated with the club.”

Praising the nature of the win, Andy Hunter of The Guardian also took the time to give special praise to Salah:

“It was all rather tame compared to the drama and fury of Liverpool’s last home triumph, but Jurgen Klopp may have welcomed the serenity of Fulham’s visit to Anfield.

A fifth consecutive Premier League win, Liverpool’s best result of the season, maintained their club’s ambitions for European football and marked another milestone in Mohamed Salah’s outstanding career at Anfield.

Salah’s decisive first-half penalty, awarded after a soft foul by Issa Diop on Darwin Nunez, saw the Egyptian international become just the third player in Liverpool’s history to score in eight successive home games. Salah’s late goal moved him to fifth place on the club’s all-time top goalscorer list and just one behind Steven Gerrard’s tally of 186 in all competitions for Liverpool.

“One more goal is enough for him to hit 30 goals for the fourth season of seven as a Liverpool player.”

Taking to Twitter, the Liverpool Echo’s Paul Gorst was less than thrilled with what he saw at Anfield:

“Nervous and unconvincing towards the end, but five spin victories for Jurgen Klopp’s team.

“Keep the pressure on those Champions League places, at least.”

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Salah deserved a lot of credit…

In his postgame player ratings, ESPN’s Adam Brown spoke highly of our No. 66:

“Once again he has shined in his new hybrid free-roaming role, which allows him to carry the ball into a more dangerous area when he attacks.

“He has often entered the central zones and Fulham have struggled to sign him.

“The 24-year-old was regularly making the right decisions with his passing controlling the pace of the game, and he also impressed with his defensive work.”

On Twitter, Sam McGuire pointed out a startling statistic that outlined the influence of Trent’s performance:

Trent recovered 12 times and won 80% of his duels on the ground. We have created a monster. pic.twitter.com/2AYepK2Pbz

— Sam McGuire (@SamMcGuire90) May 3, 2023

Focusing on the ruthless Salah, the Telegraph’s Chris Bascombe pursued another goal:

“Mohamed Salah couldn’t do more to show his distaste for the Europa League. The Egyptian is on a mission to avoid the humiliation of relegation from the UEFA top-flight, his latest goal attempt to destroy Liverpool’s slim hopes to keep the Champions League next season .

Salah became just the third Liverpool player to score in eight consecutive games at Anfield. His winning penalty against Fulham cemented Jurgen Klopp’s position in fifth, ready to strike should Newcastle and Manchester United fail.

“Salah has six from six in all competitions, this much needed contribution ensuring a win that became less convincing as the match went on. “He has now scored in every home game since February 13, a reminder that despite all the changes in Klopp’s attacking line, he remains reassuringly consistent.”

Does Liverpool still have a chance of making the top four?

Bascombe admitted that Champions League football still looks extremely unlikely:

“Liverpool are unlikely to be good enough to finish fourth.

“Their form is better but still uneven and there remains a sense that Klopp is using these games to polish a winning formula ahead of next season.”

Jacob Leeks of The Mirror spoke positively about the prospect of a Europa League appearance at Anfield:

“Liverpool’s win on Wednesday night put them in control of the race for the Premier League’s only Europa League spot. They are now five points clear of Tottenham and Aston Villa as they seek to complete a disappointing season in beauty.

“While they probably gave up on securing a Champions League place too late, the Reds are closing in on securing European football next season. He is not the boss of the Jürgen Klopp competition, in which you want to be, but you will at least have the chance to win silverware in Europe.

“With only four games for Liverpool, villa and Spurs, it was the men of Klopp who took control. The victory against Tottenham was crucial, but the push due to the impressive Cottar will cover a long way.”

Likewise, they were not illusions by James James Nalton and concentrated more than anything on a positive end of the season:

“This is the second of three home games in eight days, with four of the last six Reds games in Anfield.

“The outside matches are against the relegation coat Leicester, although the last game of the season has already relegated.

“It’s a fairly cheap race because Liverpool wants to qualify for the Europa League as a whole after a disappointing season. “However, this is an opportunity to go back to sort of a feel-good factor at Anfield and make it a fortress again.

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.. 

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

After Liverpool defeated Fulham, thanks to a fine of the first half by Darwin Nunez, the opposition boss Marco Silva accused the “diving” striker.

Mo Salah has converted a penalty in the middle for the second game in a row, to bring the score to 1-0 and earn their fifth consecutive victory in the Premier League in Liverpool.

The decisive punishment football arrived at stake for 39 minutes when Nunez hit the ball for Issa Diop, who knocked down the striker with his right leg.

After the game, Fulham’s manager, Silva, claimed that it should not have been a mistake.

There was a clear contact in the middle behind Nunez, but the attacker went evidently on the ground.

Silva said that the way Liverpool marked was “embarrassing” and that “almost impossible to understand” because the Reds took football. “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. Fulham boss accuses Darwin Nunez of ‘jumping’ to win ’embarrassing’ penalties

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.