Ex-Premier League ref Gallagher gives verdict on Arsenal handball vs Liverpool
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher believes Liverpool should have been given a penalty during their game against Arsenal.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was baffled when his team were not given a spot-kick after Arsenal's Martin Odegaard handled the ball inside the box during Saturday night's 1-1 draw at Anfield. Odegaard's intervention stopped Mohamed Salah going past the the Gunners' captain, but referee Chris Kavanagh waved away appeals and was backed up when a VAR review did not overturn his decision.
Klopp questioned the decision after the match, admitting: "I am pretty sure someone will come to explain it to me why it was not a handball but I don't know how?" The PGMOL explained that Odegaard was not penalised as his arm was adjudged to be moving towards his body rather than the ball, but ex-ref Gallagher feels it should have been a penalty.
"I do agree (that a penalty should have been awarded)," Gallagher told Premier League Productions. "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.
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"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."
Despite the decision, which occurred when Liverpool were a goal down thanks to Gabriel's early opener for Arsenal, the hosts managed to battle back to claim a draw, courtesy of Salah's stunning equaliser, and almost grabbed a winner. Trent Alexander-Arnold thundered a glorious chance off the crossbar after being played through by Salah, as the two title contenders eventually had to settle for a share of the points.
Arsenal remain top of the table at Christmas, just a point ahead of Liverpool in second. Liverpool now travel to Burnley on Boxing Day while Arsenal welcome West Ham two days later.
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