Former Premier League referee Keith Hackett has said that Jurrien Timber should have been sent off and conceded a penalty for pulling Alexander Isak's shirt during Liverpool's match against Arsenal.
Hackett, a former FIFA referee and general manager of the Professional Game Match Officials (PGMO), stated that the incident warranted a red card for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. Timber avoided any punishment for preventing the Liverpool striker from connecting with a Bradley Barcola cross. Later in the match, the Arsenal defender was shown a yellow card after an altercation with Alexis Mac Allister that also involved England international winger Noni Madueke.
Hackett's assessment of the incident
Hackett believes that Timber should not have still been on the pitch and that the evidence is clear. Speaking to Football Insider, he said: "Replays at half-time showed that Jurrien Timber escaped giving away a penalty kick. The video clearly shows him holding the shirt of Liverpool player Alexander Isak."
"VAR said everything was fine, but the Arsenal man had a fistful of the top. The referee should have been invited to view the monitor; this was a clear offence, and Liverpool should have had a penalty kick." Hackett added: "Looking at that replay again, if the penalty kick had been awarded, then Timber should have been red carded for the denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity."
Manager's reaction
Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola agreed, saying after the match about that incident and another involving Cody Gakpo: "I think there are two situations and they are a little bit related. 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. I don't see why (it wasn't given); probably because he doesn't dive or 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 at the ball. But then you're basically accepting that the first one 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; it's 10 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."
