Arsenal get shock new Everton penalty verdict as Jamie Carragher fumes at VAR process

Arsenal get shock new Everton penalty verdict as Jamie Carragher fumes at VAR process

Jamie Carragher has slammed the call to award Everton a penalty against Arsenal on Saturday afternoon as he believes the decision made on-field was 'very soft'.

Iliman Ndiaye scored from the penalty spot in the 50th minute to earn the Toffees a 1-1 draw at Goodison Park, after Leandro Trossard had given Mikel Arteta's side a first-half lead.

However, Arsenal felt hard done by after complaining that Everton's penalty should not have been given. Myles Lewis-Skelly was judged to have brought down Jack Harrison inside the box. Referee Darren England pointed to straight to the spot and VAR decided against intervening, sticking with the on-field decision.

It's something that angered the Arsenal players, staff and Arteta, who fumed in his post-match press conference and didn't think it was a penalty.

Now, ex-Liverpool defender Carragher has shared his verdict on the decision and agreed with Arteta. "If it was a penalty it was very, very soft. I'm with Mikel Arteta, I didn't think it was a penalty," Carragher told Sky Sports.

"When I first saw it I thought it was a penalty and I can understand the referee giving it - because it was a bit of a mess from Arsenal. I think that the centre-back [Jakub] Kiwior leaves the ball to bounce, [Myles] Lewis-Skelly gets himself caught with Harrison and it looks like a bit of a tangle.

"So, I could understand the referee giving it but, then when you look at it, it looks really soft.

"In some ways, those types of decisions is exactly what is wrong with VAR where you look at it and you say; 'It's not a penalty, but it's not a howler'. So, then VAR don't get involved when it's just not a penalty.

"That's where I'd like VAR to say it's not about the referee making a horrendous decision, it's not a penalty, you make that decision and you move on."

Arteta cut a frustrated figure after the game. The Arsenal head coach claimed he saw the incident '15 times' and didn't think Everton should have got a spot-kick.

"I'm 100 per cent frustrated," Arteta told BBC Match of the Day. "We were very much in control of the match.

"We were hoping in the second half to continue the domination, but then out of nothing the referee decides to give a penalty. I have seen it 15 times, in my opinion it is never a penalty.

"They [Everton] are very good at what they do. We gave away so many silly fouls which led to set-pieces."

Everton manager David Moyes added: "I've watched it zero times, so I couldn't tell you if it was a penalty or not, because I've not seen it back."


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