Ex-Fifa official: Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane are the real reason for unexpected Liverpool development
Liverpool have Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane to thank after they surprisingly set a new Premier League record for penalties awarded.
That is the view of ex-Fifa and Premier League referee Keith Hackett, speaking exclusively to Football Insider after Liverpool surpassed Man United's previous tally of 169.
The Reds were awarded, and converted, two spot-kicks in their 6-0 drubbing of Leeds United on Tuesday night (23 February).
The Daily Star reported the same day that has now taken their tally to 171 penalties awarded in the Premier League era.
Salah converted both penalties at Anfield against Leeds and just over 14 per cent of his Premier League goals have come from the spot - 17 of 116.
"In a way, this is relatively simple to explain," Hackett told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
"I have no doubts that Liverpool spend quite a lot of time in their opponent's penalty area. You're not going to get penalty kicks if you're playing in defence.
"In Mane and Salah, as we saw against Leeds, they've got players with pace who can beat defenders and get penalties. I can understand it.
"At Anfield, it is a fairly tight pitch and those sorts of things play into it.
"I wouldn't read anything into it apart from they are attacking more."
Liverpool's thrashing of Leeds put them just three points behind league leaders Man City with 12 Premier League games left to play.
They are next in action on Sunday (27 February) when they face Chelsea at Wembley in the EFL Cup final.