Andoni Iraola to take drastic action after Liverpool penalty controversy - 'It's a shame'

Iraola criticised the referee for not awarding a penalty when Isak was pulled back by Timber, saying it was a clear foul that should have been spotted regardless of whether the player went to ground.

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola expressed frustration after his side's 1-0 defeat to Arsenal at Anfield, citing two contentious penalty decisions that went against the Reds. Kai Havertz's early goal proved decisive, but Liverpool felt they should have been awarded a spot-kick when Alexander Isak was pulled back by Jurrien Timber as he attempted to meet a Bradley Barcola cross.

Iraola was adamant the Isak incident was a clear penalty, pointing out that Timber grabbed the defender's shirt in full view of everyone. He expressed particular frustration that the lack of a dive seemed to influence the referee's decision, arguing that going to ground should not be a prerequisite for a foul to be called. While he acknowledged the referee's reasoning on a separate Cody Gakpo penalty appeal, Iraola felt the logic was inconsistent.

The, former Liverpool manager conceded his players may need to be more willing to go down in future to draw fouls, though he noted the irony that referees then complain about players diving. He said the club would wait for the PGMOL's review but accepted the decision and was moving on to the next fixture.