Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has suggested Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber was fortunate not to concede a penalty for pulling back Alexander Isak during Liverpool's 1-0 defeat at Anfield on Sunday, though he stopped short of saying VAR should have intervened.
Liverpool were left frustrated by several contentious refereeing decisions in the match. Isak was held back by Timber as he tried to connect with a Bradley Barcola delivery during the Reds' search for an equaliser, while Cody Gakpo and Alexis Mac Allister both saw penalty appeals waved away.
Kai Havertz's 16th-minute strike secured the defending champions' first win at Anfield in 14 years and lifted them above Manchester City to the top of the table.
Gallagher's verdict on the Isak incident
Speaking on Sky Sports News' Ref Watch, Gallagher explained: "It depends which angle you watch it from. The first angle, you see nothing. That is the referee's angle.
"The second angle, which is what VAR looks at, and it is a lot more damning. VAR looks at it in slow motion, which is another thing against him. In normal speed, he grabs and grabs him quickly but let's go.
"Does he do enough [for a penalty]? What is Timber's intention? He is on the wrong side of him. Does he do enough to stop him? He [Isak] will say yes, as he is close to the ball.
"VAR would be accused of re-refereeing if it is a penalty. It is a case of damned if they do and damned if they don't. It has to be the case of on-field.
"The more I watch it, the more I think he [Timber] has taken a big chance and has got lucky."
Pundits and Iraola weigh in
Jay Bothroyd added: "Where was the referee? Every angle, I can see it is a penalty. He has pulled his shirt." Tim Sherwood agreed, saying: "I can't see where the ref is. It is a penalty. It is a nailed-on penalty.
"We have VAR to help the referee out, surely they have to help him out there. That is not re-refereeing the game. It was clear and obvious. It was a pull. It impedes Isak from reaching the ball. It is a goalscoring opportunity."
Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola also admitted his players may need to be smarter when dealing with physical challenges, although he warned that going to ground too easily could also count against them.
"I think there are two situations and they are a little bit related," Iraola said after the match. "I think the Isak one is a clear penalty. He's going to head the ball in front of the goal, and they grab him where everyone sees the shirt.
"You don't need a lot, just to avoid Alex, because the ball just goes in front of him, and I don't see the reason why, probably because he doesn't dive or he doesn't go to the floor. It shouldn't be a reason not to concede a penalty.
"And then after that the Gakpo one, I think it's a sustained holding, but I understand their argument and I think they are right that they say the ball was too long and Cody wouldn't have arrived to the ball. But then you're basically accepting that the first one is, is a pen, no?
"So you cannot use the argument in both ways differently. So I think it's a, yes, it's a pen, the Alex one is.. It's not going to change anything if we talk to the PGMOL or not. I think we have to wait now, I think it's 10 days or 12 days until they give the resolution.
"It's going to be what it is and that's it, accept it and let's go for the next one, no? It's not going to change."
