Fulham manager Marco Silva claims the award of Liverpool’s match-winning penalty was embarrassing as his side slipped to an eighth defeat in 10 games.
Mohamed Salah scored from the spot for the second successive match to secure a 1-0 win after Issa Diop was adjudged to have brought down Darwin Nunez.
Silva was not convinced, however, saying: “The way they scored the goal, I have to say that is embarrassing.
“Today in football to give a penalty like that, after the VAR didn’t take that penalty (away) it is difficult to understand.
“I will not say nothing more because after it will be difficult for me and I don’t want to create more problems for me. It is difficult to understand that penalty,” Silva said.
“When Darwin touch the ball he start to dive himself but after he touched his left leg with Issa.
“They are going to say it is harsh but the referee gave and after the VAR cannot take (away). It is always the same conversation. I didn’t speak with the referee at the end or at half-time. I had some words with the fourth official.
“Issa told me that it is clear not penalty. The referee made a mistake and the VAR is there to take that decision and not allow the penalty to go on. That’s clear for me.”
The victory secured a fifth successive win for Liverpool for the first time since April 2022 and maintained the pressure on fourth-placed Manchester United, whom they trail by four points having played two matches more.
“Really pleased with big parts of the game: first half controlling, creating not finishing situations off,” said manager Jurgen Klopp.
“The penalty I like a lot because it a counter-pressing situation; Darwin is fully in the situation and gets a pen and Mo finishes it off.
“We then don’t close the game early and we have to fight to the end and we needed Ali (Alisson Becker) obviously, the save from (Carlos) Vinicius was sensational and he was happy about the clean sheet more than anyone.
“Five wins in a row is super-difficult. It felt it was ages ago we did it and the more I like it.”
'I want to be a number one' – Kelleher eyes Liverpool departure
Caoimhin Kelleher is ready to leave Liverpool in search of first-team football.
Kelleher, 25, has been Alisson's back-up for several seasons at Anfield, though did play in some big games during Jurgen Klopp's time in charge.
That included starring in the EFL Cup final against Chelsea in 2022.
However, with Liverpool having signed Giorgi Mamardashvili, who will join next season, Kelleher believes the time is right to move on.
And the Republic of Ireland goalkeeper suggested he could have left this summer, if Liverpool had not rejected offers.
"I made it clear in the last few years I want to go be a number one and play week in, week out," said Kelleher ahead of Ireland's Nations League clash with Greece.
"The club made the decision to get another goalkeeper.
"From the outside looking in, it looks like they have made a decision to go in another direction.
"My ambition has always been clear the last few seasons that I want to be a number one, playing week in week out.
"At times it is not always in my hands. My mission was to go out and play, and be a number one.
"It has been reported that Liverpool had rejected a few bids as well. It is not always in my hands to make the decision. My ambition is to prove I am good enough to play week in, week out."
Kelleher made seven saves from nine shots against England on Saturday, and could do little to prevent either Declan Rice or Jack Grealish scoring to hand the Three Lions a 2-0 win.
Ten Hag not the deciding factor for De Ligt in Man Utd move
Matthijs de Ligt has dismissed suggestions that Erik ten Hag was the deciding factor in his transfer to Manchester United.
The Dutchman, along with Noussair Mazraoui, joined the Red Devils in a double signing worth up to £60million from Bayern Munich in August.
De Ligt's breakthrough, however, came at Ajax under Ten Hag, with the manager making him the youngest-ever captain in the club's history during that time.
The following season, Ajax reached their first Champions League semi-final since 1997 and won the Eredivisie and KNVB Cup double before De Ligt left the club to join Juventus.
Ten Hag has often been criticised for targeting his former players during the transfer windows while at United, with De Ligt falling into that category.
However, the defender stressed a reunion with his former head coach was not what drew him to the Premier League.
"I'm already settled in Manchester and enjoying myself. The boys are great, everything was handled perfectly. There's also many Dutch guys on the staff", he told Dutch outlet Vandaag Inside, via Manchester Evening News.
"Erik ten Hag is not the only reason I joined United. We're talking about Manchester United here, one of the biggest clubs in the world.
"There's lots of pressure because the fans are used to things from the past. It's up to us to be as good as possible."
The 25-year-old has played just 89 minutes in the Premier League since joining United, getting his first start in their 3-0 defeat to Liverpool last time out, making just one interception and one tackle.
De Ligt was in the Netherlands' squad for Euro 2024, as the Oranje reached the semi-final, however, he did not play a single minute at the tournament.
Back in the fold for their first two Nations League matches, two lapses in concentration from De Ligt were punished against Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Netherlands' 5-2 victory.
Rodri: Guardiola always evolving to stay one step ahead
Pep Guardiola is constantly evolving to stay ahead of the rest of the game, giving him the best advantage to keep winning, so says Rodri.
Manchester City won an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League title last season, following on from their historic treble, with Rodri's goal sealing it as the club won their first-ever Champions League.
Rodri has been a key piece of Guardiola's team since joining from Atletico Madrid in July 2019, and last season made 34 appearances in the top-flight, never tasting defeat in any of them.
In all competitions last campaign, he made 50 appearances, playing the most minutes of any of his team-mates (4,325). Rodri also featured in six of Spain's seven Euro 2024 matches, helping them to win a record fourth title at the tournament.
The midfielder admitted that while Guardiola is constantly looking for improvement, he has also been the key to Rodri reaching his potential.
"To me, the unique thing about Pep is that he is always one step ahead," Rodri wrote in the Players Tribune. "He is always evolving before the game around him can evolve.
"He is never satisfied with keeping things exactly as we played last season, because your competition is always going to be analysing last season. You don't win four Premier League titles in a row by standing still. You either reinvent yourself or you die.
"For me, he added that final mental piece of the puzzle. "Seeing" the game in a different way. "Feeling" it — when to move into space, when to hold back. When to press, when to ease off.
"His confidence was so important to me, because you have to remember, when I came here in 2019, I was walking into a changing room with Fernandinho, Aguero, David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne. Legends."
In his five years in Manchester, Rodri has won four Premier Leagues, an FA Cup, two EFL Cups, a Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup.
City only failed to win the Premier League in Rodri's first of those five seasons, while the Spaniard has only suffered defeat in two finals while at the club: the Champions League in 2021 and the FA Cup last term.
However, he says those defeats are what drive him to improve, using them as learning moments when it comes to challenging for the next trophy.
"We have been very blessed the last few years with City, but it's not real life," Rodri added. "In the good moments, you don't learn, you just enjoy.
"In the bad moments, when you truly suffer, that's when you really grow. I remember after the '21 Champions League final against Chelsea, I walked back into the little family area, and when I saw my parents and my brothers, I literally couldn't speak.
"It was like I was 10 years old again, at the kitchen table. I couldn't say a word. I just thought: I never want to feel this feeling again. I have to work harder. I have to find a way to be better."
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