Liverpool should have been awarded a penalty during their 1-0 defeat to Arsenal at Anfield, according to the Premier League independent Key Match Incidents (KMI) Panel.
The panel reviewed the incident involving Jurrien Timber and Alexander Isak from the November 1 meeting and concluded that referee Andy Madley was wrong to allow play to continue.
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Arsenal secured all three points through Kai Havertz’s 16th-minute goal, but Liverpool had a strong penalty appeal five minutes later. Timber pulled Isak’s shirt as the striker attempted to reach a cross from Bradley Barcola.
Madley did not award a spot-kick, while VAR official Stuart Attwell decided against recommending an on-field review. The KMI Panel has since ruled that the decision should have gone Liverpool’s way, with four of its five members voting that Timber’s holding offence warranted a penalty.
The panel also voted 3-2 that VAR should have intervened because the failure to award the spot-kick amounted to a clear and obvious error.
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Premier League panel explains why Liverpool deserved a penalty In Arsenal win
In its assessment, the panel concluded that Timber’s challenge met the threshold for a holding offence. Premier League guidance places particular emphasis on sustained holding that has a clear material impact on an opponent’s ability to compete for the ball, including non-footballing actions.
Factors considered include whether a defender is focused on holding an opponent rather than attempting to play the ball, whether there is a genuine attempt to challenge for possession and whether the contact is sustained or has a significant impact.
There was not complete agreement over the VAR decision. Two panellists felt the subjective nature of assessing the impact of the shirt pull meant it did not meet the high threshold required for intervention. However, the majority concluded that Attwell should have recommended a pitchside review.
All five members agreed that Timber’s challenge did not warrant a red card for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity.
Andoni Iraola criticised officials after Liverpool’s defeat
Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola was unhappy with the decision after the match, describing Timber’s action as a clear shirt pull and questioning whether Isak’s decision to remain on his feet had counted against him.
Iraola suggested that players might feel they need to go to ground to persuade officials to award penalties, despite the expectation that footballers should not have to exaggerate contact to receive a decision.
Captain Virgil van Dijk also criticised the officials, questioning how the incident could have escaped VAR intervention given the number of camera angles available.
Arsenal keep their three points despite VAR admission
The KMI Panel’s verdict confirms that Liverpool were on the wrong end of a significant refereeing decision at Anfield. However, the ruling does not change the result. Arsenal remain the winners, with Havertz’s early strike securing a valuable victory for Mikel Arteta’s side.
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The decision is likely to renew debate about the consistency with which holding offences are judged and the threshold VAR must meet before recommending an on-field review. While the panel’s assessment offers greater transparency, it does little to ease Liverpool’s frustration over a penalty that could have changed the course of the match.
Read the Premier League’s Key Match Incidents review, alongside coverage from Sky Sports and Reuters.
