PGMOL referee Howard Webb admitted Liverpool should have been awarded a penalty for a handball by Martin Odegaard in their 1-1 draw with Arsenal on 23 December.
Jurgen Klopp’s side missed the chance to climb the table at Christmas as they were held to a stalemate by the Gunners, who took the lead through Gabriel Magalhex before Mohamed Salah equalized for the Reds. However, Arsenal survived a huge first-half scare when captain Odegaard was handed a handball in the penalty area and a huge penalty was called.
However, neither on-field referee Chris Kavanagh nor VAR referee David Coote saw fit to award a penalty, with the former justifying the decision by saying Odegaard’s hand had touched the ground. And Coote said it was the right decision not to award a penalty as Odegaard fell to the ground and tried to move his hands to his body with the help of assistant VAR Lee Betts.
But speaking to the former Liverpool striker on Premier League Productions’ Match Officers: Mic’d Up programme, Webb admitted the Reds should have been awarded a penalty and that Odegaard had a “big advantage” through his hand in bringing the ball home”. It was claimed that there was. . After Owen said he expected a penalty in that situation, Webb said: “Me too.
The on-field umpire recognized Odegaard’s slip and saw that his hand hit the ground. “We talk about ‘supporting hands.’ It is a very natural and well-established concept for one to fall and break the ground with one’s hands. in this case. However, there are important differences from regular games.
“It’s not like Odegaard accidentally falls on the ball, slips and his arm comes out, he actually pulls his arm towards his body and the ball hits his hand. “VAR looked at this. He felt it was a case of Odegaard putting his hands on his body again and trying to humiliate him. Here is an important factor:
