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Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola lamented a lack of reward for honesty after his side were denied a penalty in a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal.
Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool are currently 5th in the standings. (AP Photo)
Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola believes players should not have to go to ground to earn a penalty, expressing his frustration after his side suffered a controversial 1-0 loss to Arsenal at Anfield on Sunday.
The result saw the defending Premier League champions claim their first victory at Anfield in 14 years, opening up a nine-point advantage over Liverpool and moving to the summit of the table.
However, the match was overshadowed by a contentious first-half incident involving Alexander Isak. The Swedish forward was pulled back by Jurrien Timber while attempting to connect with Bradley Barcola’s cross, but stayed on his feet despite the contact. Neither the on-field referee nor VAR deemed the incident worthy of a penalty.
Timber also escaped a possible red card for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity, despite making no attempt to play the ball.
Iraola was particularly unhappy with the decision, arguing that players are effectively being encouraged to exaggerate contact to attract the officials’ attention.
“It’s a shame you ask me this question. But honestly, yes, we have to tell them to go down because they are not going to call it otherwise,” said Iraola after only his second defeat since taking charge of the Reds. “I don’t see the reason why. Only because he hasn’t dived or he hasn’t gone to the floor. It shouldn’t be a reason, but of course it’s a penalty.”
Arsenal had already taken the lead through Kai Havertz’s early strike before the disputed penalty appeal occurred.
Liverpool responded positively and created several opportunities to restore parity before the interval. Florian Wirtz came agonisingly close with a free-kick that struck the crossbar, while Alexis Mac Allister squandered a superb headed opportunity.
Despite failing to find the net, Iraola was encouraged by his team’s attacking display and determination to fight back.
“We had good chances – we hit the crossbar and had good situations we were not able to finish. We definitely deserved a goal,” Iraola said.
“I loved the reaction from my players after going 1-0 down…I loved a lot of moments of the game. We have to keep going. It is very early in the season. Arsenal are in the best of the situations but it is just the start of November today,” he added.
For Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, the victory represents a significant step towards defending the Premier League crown. His side now hold a three-point lead over second-placed Manchester City.
The situation surrounding City could further strengthen Arsenal’s position in the title race. The Manchester club are expected to face a substantial points deduction unless they successfully overturn a guilty verdict relating to more than 100 alleged breaches of Premier League financial regulations. Arsenal’s victory therefore adds further pressure on one of their strongest title competitors.
Arteta was also pleased with the way his players responded following their humiliating League Cup exit against fourth-tier Fleetwood on Tuesday.
Reflecting on the contrasting emotions surrounding the two results, the Arsenal boss highlighted the importance of recovering quickly from setbacks.
“After the defeat against Fleetwood, it looks like the end of the world, it looks like what are we doing? Then you have to pick yourself up and understand that this is the beautiful part of this game,” said Arteta.
He also underlined the significance of finally securing a victory at Anfield, a ground where Arsenal had struggled to win for 14 years.
“The mission was something that we didn’t accomplish in 14 years and there were reasons for that. Some of them were psychological problems, some of them were related to the quality that we showed on the pitch, certain moments or decisions and we needed to nail absolutely all of them,” he added.
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Ask News18Andoni Iraola expressed frustration that players are effectively encouraged to exaggerate contact to attract official attention after Alexander Isak was denied a penalty against Arsenal. Iraola stated that players are forced to go to ground because referees will not award penalties otherwise unless a dive occurs.
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Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience …Read More
November 02, 2026, 13:07 IST
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