Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City have benefitted from – and been on the end of – dubious calls this season, and had some of the most controversial decisions gone another way, the Premier League top three would look quite different.
For clarity, if any team should have been awarded a penalty in any game, we will presume it was converted. Likewise if a penalty decision should have gone against them.
CURRENT TABLE
HOW IT MIGHT LOOK
Arsenal:
4th November: Gordon’s winning goal in Newcastle 1-0 Arsenal should have ended 0-0 (+1 point)
23rd December: Odegaard handball in Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal should have ended 2-1 (-1 point)
9th March: Havertz avoids red, scores winner in Arsenal 2-1 Brentford – should have been 1-1 (-2 points)
Mikel Arteta’s side have had some fortunate decisions but also been unlucky.
Martin Odegaard’s handball in their tie with Liverpool at Anfield was not spotted by VAR or referee Chris Kavanagh. Arsenal were leading 1-0 courtesy of Gabriel’s early header before Mohamed Salah equalised. A converted penalty would have seen Arsenal lose..
Arsenal were also lucky not to see Kai Havertz sent off at home to Brentford in their recent 2-1 triumph over Thomas Frank’s side. The German, already on a yellow, dived inside the box under a tame challenge from Nathan Collins but avoided further punishment. He would go on to score the eventual winner, enraging Frank.
The one big decision that went against Arsenal was at St. James Park earlier in the season. Joe Willock collected a rebound wide on the left, and it looked like the ball had gone out of play before he crossed to the far post. Joelinton wrestled Arsenal defender Gabriel off the ball and Gordon tapped home from what looked like an offside position.
VAR examined all three incidents leading up to the goal, but felt no need to disallow the goal. Arteta was furious at his side’s defeat.
Liverpool
13th August: Jackson handball in Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool – should have been 1-2 (+2 points)
30th September: Diaz disallowed goal in Spurs 2-1 Liverpool – should have been 2-2 (+1 point)
25th November: Dias disallowed goal in Man City 1-1 Liverpool – should have been 2-1 ( -1 point)
9th December: Penalty overturned in Palace 1-2 Liverpool – should have been 2-2 (–2 points)
23rd December: Odegaard handball in Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal – should have been 2-1 (+2 points)
Liverpool were on the wrong end of arguably the worst VAR call yet. Luis Diaz ran from the halfway line to score and put Liverpool 1-0 up at Tottenham but was incorrectly flagged offside.
Referee Simon Hooper disallowed the goal, and the VAR Darren England did not overturn his decision, even after a lengthy review. It later emerged that England had mistakenly believed that Hooper’s decision had been to award the goal, so he felt no need to overturn it. Although the VAR team quickly realised their mistake, play had restarted so no goal was given, and Tottenham went on to score a last-minute winner.
Odegaard’s handball at Anfield also should have gone in Liverpool’s favour and the same could be said for the incident involving Nicolas Jackson in the first game of the season.
Liverpool had appeals for a penalty turned down by referee Anthony Taylor after the ball struck the arm of Jackson in the box early in the second half. VAR took a long look back at the incident, but the Chelsea striker was let off the hook.
For all their misfortune, one huge call that undoubtedly went in Liverpool’s favour was the penalty that Crystal Palace had overturned back in December.
Virgil van Dijk tripped Odsonne Edouard from behind as he went to shoot inside the box, with referee Andy Madley rightly pointing to the spot.
However, VAR intervened to check a soft Will Hughes foul on Wataru Endo in the build-up. It took a lengthy check on the pitchside monitor before Madley ruled out the penalty, bringing both relief and fortune Liverpool’s way as Harvey Elliot’s 91st minute winner snatched all three points in a 2-1 win.
Manchester City
Dias disallowed goal in Man City 1-1 Liverpool – should have been 2-1 (+ 2 points)
The main point of controversy with City, apart from Doku’s high boot on Mac Allister, came in the reverse fixture at the Etihad.
Leading 1-0 at home to Liverpool back in late November, Alisson was lucky to see Akanji’s tame challenge on him from a corner ruled to be a foul, meaning Ruben Dias’ tap-in was disallowed. Replays showed there was minimal contact on the Liverpool goalkeeper and the goal should have stood.
Liverpool benefitted and Trent Alexander-Arnold would go on to level the game late on.
