Arsenal penalty controversy: Why Havertz’s offside position sparked debate

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Mikel Arteta described himself as “confused” after Arsenal were denied a penalty against Hull, NBC Sports reported.

Martin Odegaard’s second-half winner secured a 1-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium, but a first-half review raised questions about how the offside law had been applied.

Kai Havertz had his shirt pulled by Nobel Mendy inside the penalty area. Referee Farai Hallam reviewed the incident at the pitchside monitor and acknowledged the holding offence, before awarding Hull a free-kick for offside.

Why Arsenal were denied a penalty

The sequence briefly had home supporters celebrating. Hallam announced the foul first, then explained that Havertz’s offside position meant Arsenal would not receive a spot-kick.

The Premier League’s explanation, carried by the Evening Standard, said VAR had recommended a review of Mendy’s challenge but identified Havertz as offside in the build-up.

That explanation left a crucial question: had Havertz actually committed an offside offence before Mendy fouled him?

What the offside law says

Being in an offside position is not, by itself, an offence.

Under IFAB’s Law 11, a foul takes precedence when an attacker moving towards the ball is fouled before playing or attempting to play it, or challenging an opponent for it.

If the attacker has already committed the offside offence before being fouled, the offside is penalised instead.

PA’s match report argued that Havertz had neither attempted to play the ball nor challenged an opponent when the shirt-pull occurred, and that the foul should therefore have been punished.

The dispute concerns the order of the offences, rather than simply where Havertz was standing.

Odegaard settles the contest

Arsenal eventually found their breakthrough in the 72nd minute through Odegaard, earning a ninth win from their opening 10 league matches.

The result took them to 27 points and ensured they would remain top through the international break.

Read more results and reaction in our Premier League news section.

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