Fabinho won a late free-kick for the Reds which was turned in by Divock Origi
Liverpool’s title hopes are still alive. Just.
Jürgen Klopp’s men left it late at Newcastle on Saturday night, Divock Origi’s 86th minute header sealing a 3-2 victory.
Liverpool had taken the lead in the first half through Virgil van Dijk before an equaliser for Newcastle from Christian Atsu, who slotted home a rebound after Trent Alexander-Arnold had appeared to handle the ball from a Salomon Rondon shot.
Though the visitors re-established their lead through Mo Salah’s smartly taken volley before the break, Rondon levelled things up again shortly after the interval.
The later stages of the second half were scrappy, not helped by a long stoppage for a head injury to Salah, which saw the Egyptian leave the field in tears on a stretcher.
With Liverpool struggling to create chances, Origi was eventually able to score the decisive goal as he glanced home a controversially awarded free-kick.
Fabinho had won the set-piece on the Liverpool right, having drawn a foul from Matt Ritchie.
Replays showed that the Brazilian had gone down despite drawing virtually no contact from Ritchie at all. The linesman, however, who was standing a matter of yards away, felt that there was enough contact to signal a foul.
Plenty disagreed the free-kick should not have been given, including Sky Sports pundit and former Liverpool player, Graeme Souness.
“That’s not a foul,” he said during analysis after the game. “Look at the linesman. What is the linesman seeing there that he can possibly give a foul for?”
Plenty of fans watching the game also seemed to think the free-kick should not have been given, many accusing Fabinho of diving:
Alexander-Arnold should’ve been sent off. Fabinho dives for the free kick. Liverpool just cheating their way to try get this title. Don’t deserve it. #NUFC #NEWLIV
— Zak (@zak_ward1) May 4, 2019
More questionable refereeing favouring Liverpool again, TAA should've seen red then pops up with an assist for the second goal, blatant dive by Fabinho for the free kick for the third goal, can see why they didn't vote for VAR to be introduced 😅 #Snf #ctid
— Louis Morrisroe (@MorrisroeLouis) May 4, 2019
I still can't get over how ridiculous that 'foul on Fabinho' was. Ritchie hardly touched him.
That cost us the game personally.
— Shevas (@ShevasNUFC) May 4, 2019
Nice dive in the buildup by Fabinho.
— J-L McDonald (@ByJordanLuke) May 4, 2019
Fabinho’s heat map pic.twitter.com/UZP09wNJBe
— Magical Myko (@MagicalMyko) May 4, 2019
