Jürgen Klopp, Liverpool's manager, was confused as to why his team wasn't given a penalty for a handball by Martin Ødegaard of Arsenal during the 1-1 draw at Anfield. Despite this confusion, the result secured first place in the Premier League for Arsenal on Christmas Day, leaving Liverpool trailing by just one point.
Klopp believes Liverpool should've been given a penalty after Ødegaard appeared to handle the ball inside the box. Despite his beliefs, the game carried on without referee Chris Kavanagh being asked to review the decision by the VAR.
Klopp joked post-match that Gallagher, who often appears on Sky Sports' Ref Watch show, would agree with the referees' decision. However, when asked about it, Gallagher stated that he thought there should have been a penalty awarded.
"I do agree (that a penalty should have been awarded)," Gallagher told Premier League Productions, as transcribed by the ECHO. "When I first saw it, I thought he was slipping. I can understand the referee on the pitch not giving it.
"The VAR felt that, with the subjective nature of handball, he thinks he is slipping and his arm is coming in. If you see that last picture, it looks as though he moves towards the ball, and I think the more acceptable decision would have been a penalty.
"I could hear them speaking. I heard him say back to Chris Kavanagh that, 'he has slipped and his arm is coming in towards his body, and he is making himself smaller'."
"Whether he has felt that and he isn't seeing it like we have or whether he hasn't seen the angle like we have. But, without doubt, the last angle we see is the most damning one. You see his arm come in, and, without doubt, he plays the ball."
Liverpool.com says: Klopp might be pleasantly surprised to hear Gallagher agreeing with him that it should have been a penalty, although the explanation why it wasn't given probably won't satisfy the Liverpool boss. How much bearing it would have had on the game, we'll never know, but the Reds will feel it's yet another decision that has gone against them this season.
0 Comments