Another day, another game goes by in which Liverpool are wrongly denied a penalty.
Granted, the Reds produced a frustratingly polar-opposite performance to their frenetic midweek win over Roma but there is good reason to resign the Premier League’s regressing standard of officiating to the criticism it deserves.
Jurgen Klopp’s men will deem themselves hard done by to have been thwarted in their efforts to all-but seal a top-four Premier League finish at Anfield on Saturday.
A lacklustre display teased a glimmer of fortune for the hosts when Georginio Wijnaldum’s driven cross struck the arm of Erick Pieters to deny Alberto Moreno an easy tap-in from close range.
What seemed a clear-cut penalty decision was astonishingly waived away by the linesman and referee Andre Marriner.
The incident unearthed a familiar frustration among fans over the reluctance to award Liverpool deserved penalties at Anfield this season, as well as triggering some striking statistics to back this up.
Besides Tottenham having been given more penalties at Anfield than Liverpool, Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin alone has won more spot-kicks than the Reds.
Spurs have had more league penalties at Anfield this season than Liverpool have.
— Andrew Beasley (@BassTunedToRed) April 28, 2018
Look at the Kop-end PL decisions this season. Zero penalties for LFC. But a disallowed handball when ball brushed Solanke’s hand (and WBA players asked for it). Two pens for Spurs. Salah clear through vs Newcastle, kicked up in air, officials look at each other – nothing.
— Paul Tomkins (@paul_tomkins) April 28, 2018
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(Video) Klopp snubs handshake from linesman after shocking penalty miss
The soft decision that led to Calvert-Lewin’s penalty earlier in the season – not to discount admitted sloppy play from Dejan Lovren – elevated a glaring lack of consistency to the Premier League’s refereeing.
Remarkably, Liverpool have been awarded just one penalty at home all season.