Richard Keys slams two Liverpool players who 'tried to con' the referee during win over Chelsea

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Liverpool are basking in the glow at the top of the Premier League table after beating Chelsea on Sunday.

The Reds were knocked off top-spot by Manchester City earlier in the day and faced the tough task of overcoming the challenge from an in-form Chelsea.

But although it was not a perfect display from Liverpool, they got the job done against the Blues.

With some struggling, there were few standout performers for the Reds at Anfield. Curtis Jones stole the show with a starring turn but some of his teammates were not totally convincing.

Jones has earned rave reviews in the days since Sunday’s win, the Liverpool academy graduate finally looks to be stepping up under Arne Slot.

Mohamed Salah was also good on the day, smashing home a penalty and setting Jones up with a glorious assist. But while praise has been showered on both players, not everyone was happy.

Richard Keys slams Liverpool pair

By the time Salah slammed his spot-kick past Robert Sanchez at the Anfield Road end, the Egyptian had already been denied an earlier chance to do the same.

Despite Levi Colwill taking two swings at Salah, first outside and then inside the penalty area, referee John Brooks chose not to award Liverpool a penalty.

Gary Neville claimed Salah should have been booked for diving on commentary, which seemed incredibly harsh given that there was clear contact from Colwill.

Just minutes later, the Chelsea defender was penalised after a swing on Jones brought the Liverpool midfielder down. Penalty kick.

READ MORE: Gary Neville admits what’s shocked him about Mohamed Salah after Liverpool’s win over Chelsea

Although there was little argument from anyone other than the Chelsea players, pundit Richard Keys has claimed that Jones had followed Salah in trying to ‘con’ the referee with a dive.

“Salah tried to con one out of Brooks before Curtis Jones did,” Keys said on his blog, richardjkeys.com.

“You could hear Brooks' mind working 'damn, I've just turned one down l, I'll have to give this'.

“Yes, there was contact but it was no more or less than there had been on Sancho,” the presenter added, referring to an incident with Trent Alexander-Arnold which wasn’t given. “It certainly wasn't enough to send Jones tumbling.”

Liverpool should have had three penalties

Contrary to Keys – and Neville’s – point of view, we would actually argue that Liverpool should have had three penalties against Chelsea on Sunday.

Perhaps Salah was looking for the contact from Colwill when he leaned his right leg out while rushing into the area, but the Blues man still clumsily bundled into him.

It certainly wasn’t a dive from Liverpool’s No.11 and there will be penalties given for much, much less over the course of the season.

Keys seems to be the only person on the planet not of a Chelsea persuasion arguing against the one which was ultimately given, while the VAR overturned challenge from Sanchez on Jones was also a clear penalty in our opinion.

Keys may have a point with the Alexander-Arnold tackle on Sancho, that was certainly borderline. But in a game where Liverpool were hard-done by by the officials, it seems bizarre to rail at their players for these decisions.