Fans left fuming as Mo Salah escapes red card after challenge on Porto's Danilo Pereira

Liverpool played the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final fixture against Porto on Tuesday, in a game that saw the Premier League outfit gain a crucial two-goal home lead against the visitors.

Naby Keita and Roberto Firmino found the net early in the first half and the goals proved to be enough for Jurgen Klopp's side to earn the much-needed advantage. What also made headlines apart from the win was Mohamed Salah's challenge on Porto's Danilo Pereira in the later stages of the second half.

With ten minutes left on the clock, the Egyptian forward was seen attempting to break into the opponent box, before being held back by Eder Militao. After doing away with the defender, Salah planted his studs on Danilo's shin as he tried to get the ball from him.

The horrific tackle, however, was waved away by officials who appeared to think it was not necessary for a VAR review at the time.

Former Premier League referee Phil Dowd has opined that Salah was very lucky to not have received a red card for the challenge, saying, "I was of the impression that they were looking at it but then didn’t think it needed an official review."

"I have watched it again three or four times and my opinion is – as we are looking at it now – it endangered the safety of the opponent and should have been sanctioned with a red card."

"I heard the other way ‘was it just reckless?’ but the way Salah comes in, he is over the top of the ball, he catches the player and I think that should have been a red card."

"For me, I thought they would have asked him to review the situation so he could have a look himself, but obviously nothing came of it."

Fans have since taken to Twitter to react to the challenge:

How did Salah escape a red card after this? That too with VAR? Can only imagine if he was at the end of this. pic.twitter.com/BFRbPoF9ud

— M•A•J (@Ultra_Suristic) April 9, 2019

Even with VAR, Salah got away with this 👀 pic.twitter.com/n6JCar3jT6

— Richard Amofa (@RichardAmofa) April 9, 2019

Meanwhile, Salah has just got away with this clear red card. Didn’t even gone to VAR. Madness! pic.twitter.com/lMoN5helQf

— The Man Utd Way (@TheManUtdWay) April 9, 2019

"Sergio Ramos is wicked 😭""Mourinho's players are wicked 😭"But,when Salah did a dirty fault with the studs and Guardiola's players injured Harry Kane in lot of faults :🤐🤐🤐🤐🤐🤐🤐🤐Imagine Sergio Ramos or Mourinho's Team doing this, all the sites calling sanction👇 pic.twitter.com/g5P0ebQeRG

— Twitugal💫 (@Twitugal) April 9, 2019

Even with VAR Salah and Liverpool still get away with a clear red card... pic.twitter.com/CcUHKQPAus

— BG (@ScoutedSZN) April 9, 2019

When I see people complaining that Salah should have gotten a red card. pic.twitter.com/Wt6mhe3IBY

— D¹¹ 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 (@SaintSalah) April 9, 2019

Even with VAR Liverpool get away with murder. It’s actually ridiculous. 2 penalties and a Salah red card ignored. UEFApool at it again. Absurd.

— Will (@willreyner) April 9, 2019

A reminder that Paul Pogba was sent off in the Champions League va PSG for this, just a FEW WEEKS ago. VAR is a great addition to football, but it is still the opinion of a human looking at it. Genuinely have no idea how Salah doesn’t see red there. pic.twitter.com/9BfWg4Zdtu

— The Man Utd Way (@TheManUtdWay) April 9, 2019

Thought Salah was lucky to escape a red card for that challenge. Shocked he didn’t carded at all.

— Jimmy (@EntireDesign_) April 9, 2019

If Salah goes down there it’s a red card. Last man challenge knocked him off balance.

— Joel Rabinowitz (@joel_archie) April 9, 2019