Salah didn’t even get a booking for this
Liverpool overcame reigning Portuguese champions Porto at Anfield on Tuesday night, securing a comfortable 2-0 victory thanks to first-half goals from Naby Keita and Roberto Firmino.
But just like Tottenham Hotspur versus Manchester City, the other Champions League tie on the night, the encounter wasn’t without controversy as Liverpool forward Mo Salah escaped a certain red card after a horror challenge on Porto skipper Danilo Pereira went unpunished by officials.
Whilst VAR (and lack thereof) took centre stage at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium thanks to a controversial early penalty and elbow incident involving Fernandinho, it was found completely wanting at Anfield after Salah went into a reckless, dangerously high tackle on Danilo.
Even with VAR Salah and Liverpool still get away with a clear red card… pic.twitter.com/CcUHKQPAus
— . (@BGFtbl) April 9, 2019
Whilst quite clearly a horrific challenge and a red card whichever way you look at it, Salah faced no punishment during the match even after the incident was referred to VAR. Not even a booking.
Weird use of VAR in the Liverpool v Porto game. Several times for incidents that were anything but "clear and obvious errors" and once when Mo Salah miraculously avoided a straight red for a bad tackle on Danilo that the ref referred upstairs.
— Barry Glendenning (@bglendenning) April 9, 2019
The result – and Salah’s escape from a red card that would rule him out of the second leg – put Liverpool firmly in control of the tie heading to Estádio do Dragão in just over a week’s time.
Winter arrives to house Porto ❄️
It's advantage Liverpool after they down the Dragões 🐉🔥 pic.twitter.com/VRrou9kttq
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) April 9, 2019
