Liverpool should have been awarded a penalty after Alexander Isak was pulled by Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber during their Premier League clash, an expert panel has ruled.
The incident occurred during the encounter at Anfield on November 1, which Arsenal won 1-0.
Referee Andy Madley allowed play to continue without awarding a penalty, while video assistant referee Stuart Attwell declined to recommend an on-field review.
The decision attracted criticism from football pundits, including Jamie Carragher and Ian Wright. However, the five-member Key Match Incidents panel has now concluded that Liverpool should have received a spot-kick.
Four of the panellists disagreed with Madley’s decision, believing Timber’s action constituted a holding offence. Three also felt Attwell should have intervened because the referee had made a clear and obvious error.
Isak did not appeal to the match officials over the shirt-pull during the game, which was decided by Kai Havertz’s goal for Arsenal.
After the match, Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola was asked whether the striker should have gone to ground following the incident.
He replied: “It’s a shame you ask me this question, but honestly, yes, we have to tell them (the players), go down, because they (the officials) are not going to call it otherwise.
“And then referees complain why they go down. Because if you don’t go down, you don’t call it. Then it’s like, no, you are all the time going down.
“But I think Alex is honest. He tries to go for the ball, everyone can see live straight away there is a clear, clear pull.”