Liverpool's 1-0 defeat to Arsenal at Anfield on Sunday saw Andoni Iraola's decision to substitute Trey Nyoni criticised by club icon Steve Nicol, while tunnel footage of Gabriel Magalhaes speaking with referee Andy Madley sparked fury among fans.
The Reds boss suffered his second Premier League defeat on home soil after champions Arsenal secured a slender victory, with Kai Havertz's early strike proving to be the difference. Despite threatening Mikel Arteta's side for much of the game, Liverpool failed to produce a single shot on target, leaving David Raya with a relatively quiet afternoon.
Creating chances has been a weakness for Iraola's side this season, and that struggle was clear to see over the weekend. In the aftermath of the defeat, the 43-year-old was criticised for one decision he made, while the release of tunnel footage during the game at Anfield left fans in a state of furore.
Iraola decision criticised
The Spaniard surprised some with his selection against the Gunners by choosing Trey Nyoni, 19, to make his first Premier League start for the club. The youngster enjoyed an impressive runout at Anfield before being taken off in the 59th minute for the returning Dominik Szoboszlai.
Nyoni had played a key role in Liverpool's competitiveness throughout the clash, and it was obvious to measure his impact when the Reds began losing control in midfield. His substitution was deemed a poor decision by club icon Steve Nicol, who said his former club's dominance was weakened with Nyoni no longer on the pitch.
The ex-Liverpool defender told ESPN FC: "The one thing that frustrates me more than anything else is the substitution that Iraola made after 60 minutes. Other than the little spell in the first half just before and just after Arsenal's goal, Liverpool were dominating the game.
"Mac Allister and Nyoni had locked the midfield up and Arsenal were under pressure. It was the same at the start of the second half, and when he made the substitution and brought Nyoni off and Szoboszlai on, I'm asking myself why is he not taking Wirtz off and leaving Mac Allister and Nyoni to dominate the way they have been. From that point on, this game changed."
Tunnel footage sparks fury
While the final result at Anfield would have left Liverpool fans in enough of a strop, footage from the tunnel during half-time further riled the home supporters up. Footage emerged of Arsenal star Gabriel Magalhaes talking with referee Andy Madley moments before the second half got underway.
The pair were spotted having a discussion in the tunnel before the Brazilian defender was seen giving the official a fist bump prior to returning to the pitch. Fuming fans took to X to express their dismay with the footage, with one user writing: "This referee clearly had a favourite."
The frustration among fans also stemmed from two contentious decisions that would have awarded Liverpool two penalties if not ruled against them. Alexander Isak was denied a spot kick after being pulled back by Jurrien Timber when trying to get on the end of Bradley Barcola's cross. The matter was checked and cleared by VAR, while Cody Gakpo's penalty appeal was turned down, with Gabriel instead seemingly getting a warning from Madley.
