The shirt pull Iraola cannot let go
Arsenal won at Anfield on Sunday for the first time in 14 years, and Andoni Iraola came away more bothered by one refereeing call than by the scoreline. Kai Havertz scored in the 16th minute. Four minutes later Barcola crossed and Alexander Isak, standing in front of goal, was too short to meet it because Jurrien Timber had hold of his shirt. No penalty was given.
Iraola told the BBC the shirt pull was clear. He then told Sky Sports that if Isak had gone down, the penalty would have been given every time.
“The solution is to dive”
Pressed on what that meant, the Liverpool manager did not back off. He said his players would be told to go down, because otherwise the foul is not whistled, and then referees complain that players fall too easily. It is a circular argument, and he knew how it would sound. He conceded it was a shame to be asked the question and answered it anyway.
It is a loud complaint from a coach whose side lost, but the context matters. RMC described the display as probably Liverpool’s best under Iraola, with heavy pressure on the Arsenal goal and no finish to show for it. Sky Sports ran its own look at whether the big calls, Isak’s non-penalty among them, were right.
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The table and what comes next
The result put Arsenal top of the table after nine matchdays and left Liverpool fifth, nine points behind. The schedule does not give Iraola much time to dwell on it. Liverpool travel to Turkey on Wednesday to face Fenerbahce in the Champions League, then go to Crystal Palace on Sunday.
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