Four days on, and the fallout from Liverpool’s draw against Manchester City last weekend has continued.
The game was a terrific one, with two top teams going for each other’s throats. A Luis Diaz-inspired Liverpool arguably should have won, but a point was probably a fair result.
Nevertheless, there was some controversy right at the end of the game, which led to a sense of injustice for Reds supporters. Jeremy Doku was very fortunate to get away with a high, last second challenge on Alexis Mac Allister that could easily have been a penalty.
The decision not to award of second spot-kick of the game to Liverpool has been poured over in the days since. And now, never one to shy away from a bold comment, West Ham United forward Michail Antonio has offered his view on the incident to BBC’s Players Channel.
“If he does that in the middle of the pitch its not just a penalty, it’s a yellow card,” Antonio claims. “It’s a foot in the chest. There’s nothing else to actually say. He didn’t make contact with the ball, he’s kicked the man in the chest. It’s a foul.
“It’s a stud to the chest, it’s dangerous play. And they were jumping so it’s even higher. I really don’t understand. I actually don’t understand.”
Antonio backs Liverpool claim
It isn’t like Antonio to fall on the side of Liverpool. The 33-year-old has been very vocal in his feelings about the Reds this season. Not once has he been positive.
Antonio has even gone as far as publicly claiming that he’s actively rooting against Liverpool to win the title. So, with that taken into account, you know that it must have been bad.
Should they now end up losing out on the Premier League by a point – as has happened twice before – this will take on even greater significance.
From our point of view, we think it was actually less black and white than Antonio is suggesting. Doku didn’t straight up stud Mac Allister in the chest. His foot was turned and the contact was made with the side rather than the bottom of the boot.
But still, it looked like a foul. That referee Michael Oliver wasn’t even suggested to take a second look on the monitor will forever rankle.
There’s only one thing for it then, Liverpool. You best go out and make sure that this incident is forgotten about amid a rampant title win.
