November 13: Liverpool should have been awarded a penalty for Jurrien Timber’s pull on Alexander Isak in their 1-0 defeat to Arsenal, the Premier League’s Key Match Incident (KMI) panel has ruled.
In the 21st minute at Anfield on November 1, Isak narrowly failed to connect with Bradley Barcola’s cross after Timber grabbed his shirt. Referee Andy Madley called the game on, with VAR Stuart Attwell checking and confirming the decision on the pitch.
The tribunal voted 4-1 that an on-field penalty should have been awarded and 3-2 that VAR should have sent Madley to the monitor. The majority called it “clear and obvious error”, while two members noted the “subjectivity in assessing the impact”. All five agreed it was not a red card.
Arsenal took the lead through Kai Havertz at the time, and that was the only goal of the game.
Isak stood his ground, and Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola believes it cost him.
“There’s a definite take on the shirt,” he said after the game. “Alex was right in front of him. He was going with his head in front of the goal, but he couldn’t because he took his shirt. If he goes to the ground, they are penalized 100%.”
He went further. “Next time the managers should tell Alex to go to the ground or they won’t call it,” he said. “The answer is you have to dive. If you don’t dive, they won’t call it.”
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