Liverpool told exactly what to do amid Mohamed Salah 'temptation' as 'dying swan' star slated

BBC pundit Garth Crooks believes Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota 'went to ground of their own volition' against Newcastle United. The pair both earned penalties during Liverpool's 4-2 Premier League win at Anfield on Monday night.

Diaz went down under a sliding challenge from defender Sven Botman in the first-half, with referee Anthony Taylor instantly pointing to the spot. And in the final minutes of the game with Liverpool 3-2 up, Jota was clipped by goalkeeper Martin Dubravka after breaking through on goal.

Salah had seen his first spot-kick saved by Dubravka but after opening the scoring from close-range and seeing Curtis Jones and Ryan Gravenberch net, he stepped up to rifle home his second from 12-yards. The Egyptian was once again the difference-maker and was named in Crooks' Team of the Week.

"The incentive for Liverpool to beat Newcastle was abundantly clear," Crooks told BBC Sport. "Liverpool would go clear at the top of the table and almost without anybody noticing. On the night Liverpool were awarded two penalties.

"The contact made on the two strikers involved, in separate incidents, was insufficient to bring either player down but both Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota both went to ground on their own volition. Jota going down having taken two steps after the contact was made.

"Twenty years ago you had to be assaulted in the box to get a penalty - now you only need to act like a dying swan. Nevertheless Salah was the difference between the two teams. He scored a goal in open play, missed a penalty, scored a penalty and was involved in two assists.

"I said after their match against Burnley on Boxing Day that Liverpool will never have a better opportunity to win the title and must before Salah is tempted away into the Saudi Arabia sunset."

Liverpool will be without Salah for up to six weeks after the winger was called up to the Egypt squad for this month's Africa Cup of Nations. The tournament runs from January 13 to February 11, spanning four Premier League games, plus both legs of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Fulham and FA Cup third and fourth rounds.