Liverpool should have had Isak penalty against Arsenal, Premier League panel rules

Liverpool should have been awarded a penalty when Jurrien Timber pulled Alexander Isak’s shirt in their 1-0 home defeat by Arsenal, the Premier League’s Key Match Incidents panel has ruled.

The five-person panel also said VAR should have stepped in. That backs up what Andoni Iraola said on the day, and the Isak penalty call came with Liverpool trailing to Kai Havertz’s goal, which turned out to be the winner at Anfield on 1 November.

What the panel said

The panel voted 4-1 that referee Andy Madley should have given a penalty. The one dissenting member felt the “short-lived holding” lacked “clear impact on the ability of Isak to progress”.

The vote on VAR was closer, at 3-2. Two panellists felt the “subjectivity in assessing impact” meant it did not meet the high bar for VAR to intervene, but the majority called it a clear and obvious error. The panel is made up of three former players and coaches, a Premier League representative and one from PGMOL.

What happened at Anfield

The incident came in the 21st minute. Isak was challenging for a Bradley Barcola cross when Timber pulled his shirt, and he just failed to get his head on the ball.

Isak stayed on his feet and did not protest to the officials. Madley waved play on, and VAR Stuart Attwell checked the incident but did not send him to the monitor. Liverpool did not manage a shot on target all afternoon.

‘We have to tell them, go down’

Iraola’s frustration was as much about the message the decision sent as the call itself. Asked whether Isak should have gone down, he told reporters: “Honestly, yes, we have to tell them, go down, because they’re not going to call it otherwise.”

Jamie Carragher could not believe a spot-kick wasn’t given, and Ian Wright, the former Arsenal striker, agreed that VAR had got it wrong.

Arsenal’s own grievance

Arsenal have a complaint of their own. In Saturday’s 1-0 win over Hull, Havertz had his shirt pulled by Nobel Mendy in the box, but no penalty was given because he was ruled offside.

BBC Sport’s Dale Johnson argued that Havertz was not trying to play the ball, so Arsenal should still have had a penalty. The panel has not yet ruled on that incident and is expected to next week.

What it means

The ruling changes nothing in the table, and Arsenal keep the points. But a goal from the spot would have levelled the game with more than an hour to play, and the win helped Arsenal go clear at the top.

Isak has seven goals in nine Premier League games this season, and he scored again in last weekend’s 3-1 win at Crystal Palace. Liverpool’s next game is against Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday 22 November, with Michael Carrick’s future still in doubt. For the rest of the weekend’s fallout, head to our Premier League hub.

Isak penalty: FAQs

Should Liverpool have had a penalty against Arsenal?
Yes. The Key Match Incidents panel ruled 4-1 that Timber’s shirt pull on Isak was a penalty.

Should VAR have intervened?
The panel voted 3-2 that VAR Stuart Attwell should have recommended a review.

What was the score in Liverpool vs Arsenal?
Arsenal won 1-0 at Anfield on 1 November through Kai Havertz.

Does the panel’s ruling change the result?
No. The ruling only judges whether the officials got it right, so the result stands.