A dominant first-half performance at White Hart Lane looked set to come to nothing for Liverpool, but a contentious penalty just a couple of minutes before half time changed that.
James Milner converted from the spot after Erik Lamela was ruled to have clipped Roberto Firmino in the penalty area [you can view the clip, below, if you are on a mobile device]. It gave Liverpool the lead but Danny Rose cancelled it out, after 70 minutes, and secured a point apiece.
https://twitter.com/SkyFootball/status/769511605813977088
There was certainly contact, and it appeared to take place just inside the area, but Spurs fans didn’t necessarily agree.
Firmino was the target, with some claiming he clipped his own heels accidentally and others going down a far more accusatory route.
Nice dive firmino
— Aaron Wicks (@wicks_aaron) August 27, 2016
https://twitter.com/taran_atwal/status/769508363516411904
Ref denied a clear Janssen penalty, gives a soft pussy penalty for that firmino dive. Take off your shirt and show your scouser shirt #sick
— K3v (@k3v1nkn0w5) August 27, 2016
And it wasn’t just Spurs fans
https://twitter.com/NeonBeatss/status/769509475602563072
Dive by Firmino!
— Liam (@Bewsh88) August 27, 2016
Liverpool supporters clearly didn’t mind, though. In fact, they seemed to be revelling in it.
Good artistic fake dive by Firmino though
— Moeed Ali Khan (@KalashanKlopp) August 27, 2016
Tactical dive by Firmino. The "clip" is just an excuse. Absolutely class.
— Arastu (@illidan_storm) August 27, 2016
The studio guests pointed out that the contact from Lamela was outside the box, but that was only noticeable in super slo-mo.
“I don’t think Spurs can really complain,” said pundit and former Liverpool captain Jamie Carragher.
And it’s something of a worrying sign for the hosts, when one considers Milner’s record in games where he has scored.
James Milner has not lost a PL game (41) when he has scored. Only Darius Vassell (46) has a longer record in PL pic.twitter.com/65mBYFWKY9
— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) August 27, 2016
That stat moves to 42 games but Milner would have preferred if it was with a victory.
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