Iraola Condemns Decisions After Arsenal Win at Anfield
Seven Lights
Andoni Iraola said he would instruct his players to go down in the penalty area after Alexander Isak was twice denied penalties in Arsenal’s 1-0 win at Anfield, the league leaders’ first league victory at Liverpool in 14 years.
Kai Havertz scored early, pouncing on a poor clearance by the goalkeeper Alisson, and Arsenal withstood an evening of contested decisions. The referee Andy Madley rejected two Liverpool penalty claims. The first came when the Arsenal defender Jurriën Timber pulled Isak’s shirt, preventing the Swede from reaching Bradley Barcola’s cross. The second, a sustained hold by Christos Tzolis on Cody Gakpo, was reviewed by the video assistant referee, Stuart Attwell, and rejected on the ground that the ball was too long in the air for Gakpo to reach.
Isak stood his ground when held by Timber, and Iraola said that counted against his team. “It’s a shame you ask me this question but, honestly, yes, we have to tell them to go down because they’re not going to call it otherwise,” he said. “When everyone can see live straight away there is a clear, clear pull.”
On the Isak claim he added: “It is a clear penalty. He is going to head the ball in front of the goal and they grab him where everyone sees the shirt. Probably because he doesn’t dive or he doesn’t go to the floor. It shouldn’t be a reason not to concede a penalty.”
Iraola accepted the reasoning behind the Gakpo rejection but called it inconsistent with the Isak decision. Mikel Arteta, the Arsenal manager and Iraola’s childhood friend, said he had not seen the Isak incident and was pleased by his side’s response to their Carabao Cup exit at Fleetwood in midweek.
The win kept Arsenal clear at the top of the Premier League as the November international break approaches. Liverpool were left to rue missed chances in both halves.