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Mohamed Salah: Robbie Fowler blasts 'unacceptable' Liverpool conspiracy theory over diving
MOHAMED SALAH is potentially being criticised for diving because he isn’t English.
That’s the view of Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler, who has seen the Egyptian blasted for the ease at which he goes to ground.
Salah is the top scorer in the Premier League this season, having notched 16 strikes.
But it’s not his goals that have been attracting attention of late.
Instead, the former Chelsea flop has come in for criticism for the supposed easiness with which he is going to ground this season.
Salah won a questionable penalty in the recent 1-0 win over Brighton before again looking to win a spot-kick in the 4-3 victory over Crystal Palace.
The referee wasn’t fooled in that clash, though neither was Salah booked.
That has led to plenty of criticism with pundit Garth Crooks claiming Salah is ‘breaking my heart’ with ‘grotesque’ play.
But Fowler, who made over 350 appearances for Liverpool across two spells, believes Salah could be a victim of his roots.
“I was never one for diving — if I had a chance to get a shot off, I’d always take it,” Fowler wrote for The Mirror.
“Yet, I’ve been shaking my head in disbelief at the criticism aimed at Mohamed Salah in recent weeks for what people have been particularly eager to call cheating.
“It’s been sustained and hostile, and I’m wondering why.
“Why it’s been much worse than that aimed at Harry Kane this season, for instance, or in the past say Michael Owen or David Beckham (and I’m not singling them out!).
“We have to be very careful as football fans. We need to stop and think about whether Salah is being targeted for where he comes from and who he is.
“It seems like stereotyping, and possibly because he’s an overseas player.
“If that is the case, it’s totally unacceptable.”
Liverpool have had a weekend off having been knocked out of the FA Cup but the Reds are back in Premier League action when they host Leicester on Wednesday (8pm).