Liverpool Deserved a Penalty in Match Against Arsenal
Experts' panel confirms referee Andy Madley's error in not awarding Liverpool a penalty against Arsenal for Timber pulling Isaac.
Translated by Qiyas from الراي — Original source
London – AFP – A panel of experts ruled that Liverpool deserved a penalty after their Swedish striker Alexander Isak had his shirt pulled during the match against Arsenal, the leaders of the English Premier League.
Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber pulled Isak’s shirt during the November 1 match at Anfield, which ended in a 1-0 victory for the reigning champions.
Referee Andy Madley took no action regarding the incident, and Video Assistant Referee (VAR) Stuart Attwell also decided not to recommend a review of the footage.
The decision drew criticism at the time from analysts such as Jamie Carragher and Ian Wright, before the five-member main Match Officials Committee confirmed that a penalty should have been awarded.
Four of the committee members criticized Madley’s decision, considering Timber’s action to constitute a “pulling” foul, while three of them believed Attwell should have intervened, as Madley’s decision was clearly and obviously wrong.
Isak did not lodge any on-field complaints with the referees about the shirt-pulling incident in the match that Arsenal won with a goal from German striker Kai Havertz.
