VAR takes centre stage as Arsenal win at Anfield
Arsenal beat Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield on Sunday, but two VAR flashpoints – a denied penalty for Alexander Isak and a non-red card for Noni Madueke after a clash with Alexis Mac Allister – dominated the post-match debate. Both incidents showed the good and bad sides of video technology.
- Match result: Liverpool 0-1 Arsenal
- Decisive goal: Kai Havertz early strike
- Penalty appeal: Alexander Isak denied after shirt pull by Jurrien Timber
- Red card review: Noni Madueke not sent off for clash with Alexis Mac Allister
- Ref Watch: Dermot Gallagher gives his verdict on Sky Sports at 11am on Monday
What was said – Isak penalty
"One of the best goalscorers in the league is pulled back seven yards out and it stops him heading the ball – why does he need to make a meal of it? VAR, do your job."
"He shouldn't have to make more of it. We can see it... Unless I'm pulled back, I'm going to head it as much as I can. When he pulled him, it was just about enough as he would need to go down. VAR is wrong in this instance. If they gave that penalty, I wouldn't sit here and say 'I can't believe they gave that'."
"It's actually unnatural not to make more of it. When you get pulled and you're just about to score, you ordinarily complain like crazy. Its a very odd reaction from Isak."
"Unfortunately, he (Isak) has not fallen over. You're supposed to fall over, put your arms in the air and show the referee you're mad about it... to me, his reaction is almost like 'VAR, do your job'. But they've not done their job. He shouldn't have to make more of it – clearly, he shouldn't. Everyone can see that his arm is stretched, he [Timber] is holding him with a stretched-out arm."
"The Isak one is a clear penalty. We can all see that he holds the t-shirt. The ball just goes one centimetre in front of Alex. Alex is going to hit the ball in front of the goal."
"The fact that you are even asking me that shows he should have gone to the floor. If he does, they call the penalty 100 per cent."
"I've seen it back and I've seen it given as well on other occasions. Today it wasn't meant to be. The VAR doesn't notice it? There are 50 cameras. Even more. Why does he have to complain when there are so many cameras? It is spotted because everyone's seen it. In the end, it wasn't given and we lose the game unfortunately, so well done to Arsenal."
These quotes reveal a clear divide: the pundits believe VAR should have intervened for the shirt pull on Isak, while the Liverpool camp feels the decision cost them. The incident highlights a recurring issue – referees and VAR failing to award penalties when a player stays on his feet.
What was said – Madueke 'headbutt'
"I want Liverpool to win the game, but I'm delighted he [Madueke] didn't get sent off. We have really got to be calling people out and saying 'this is embarrassing'. It's ridiculous and it's got to stop. I can't stand it. If someone puts their head back and butts, then red card. But if it's head-to-head and they touch, the other one goes down and the player gets sent off, as a game, call your own people out on it. It's a joke from Mac Allister. People are trying to gain an advantage because they can and red cards are being given for it. Whether it's Howard Webb, the Premier League, the managers getting together, this has got to stop."
"Mac Allister's reaction is a bit over the top, I can tell you that. Get up. Embarrassing. It's Mac Allister's fault because he slaps Odegaard when he's down which is unnecessary. Well done to VAR because they've recognised that Mac Allister going down is embarrassing."
"He doesn't headbutt him with any force. It's a coming together and they're both into it. He's trying to bait him and that is league wide – that's not just Mac Allister. Every player in world football – that's the game. He knew exactly what he was doing and ultimately it didn't work out for him. You tried to bait a man into something and he didn't bite."
"The first thing with Mac Allister is the way he goes over. He's actually slapped Odegaard on the back of the head. The laws have to do something about this because that is trying to get someone sent off. Common sense prevailed because he [Madueke] didn't push his head into him, he just confronted him and Mac Allister tried to take that advantage to go down."
On this occasion, VAR made the correct call – Madueke was not sent off, and Mac Allister was booked. The pundits were unanimous in condemning Mac Allister's play-acting, with Carragher calling for a wider crackdown on simulation to force red cards.
Why VAR got one wrong and one right
The Isak incident was a clear error. Jurrien Timber clearly pulled the striker's shirt as he attempted to head the ball, yet neither the on-field referee nor VAR intervened. Alexander Isak stayed on his feet – a decision that cost his side a penalty. The PGMOL's insistence on a high bar for overturning subjective calls backfired here; the contact was obvious and directly affected Isak's ability to play the ball.
The Madueke clash was handled correctly. Alexis Mac Allister went down theatrically after minimal contact, and VAR recognised the simulation. Noni Madueke did not headbutt him with force; it was a confrontation, not violent conduct. Mac Allister's booking was the right outcome, and the decision prevented a miscarriage of justice.
These two incidents perfectly illustrate the inconsistency that frustrates fans and pundits alike. VAR is designed to correct clear errors, yet it failed to intervene for a stonewall penalty while correctly identifying a dive. The debate will continue, but the pressure on Howard Webb and PGMOL to improve consistency is intensifying.
Talking points
- Should Isak have gone down to win the penalty? The pundits say yes, but that rewards simulation – a damning indictment of modern refereeing.
- Carragher's call for a crackdown on play-acting is spot on, but how can it be enforced without VAR becoming even more intrusive?
- Arsenal won, but the penalty snub could have cost them – are they lucky to escape Anfield with all three points?
- Mac Allister's reputation will suffer after this – will Liverpool fans turn on him for embarrassing the club?
What happens next
Ref Watch with Dermot Gallagher airs at 11am on Monday, where the former referee will give his verdict on both incidents. The PGMOL will also review the Isak penalty decision. Arsenal's win lifts them three points clear at the top, while Liverpool will look to bounce back in their next fixture. The VAR debate will continue to rage.
Frequently asked questions
Did VAR give a penalty for the Isak shirt pull?
No, neither the on-field referee nor VAR awarded a penalty for Jurrien Timber's shirt pull on Alexander Isak.
Was Noni Madueke sent off for the clash with Alexis Mac Allister?
No, VAR reviewed the incident and Madueke was not sent off; Mac Allister was booked instead.
What did Jamie Carragher say about VAR?
Carragher said VAR should "do your job" on the Isak penalty and called Mac Allister's reaction "embarrassing" after the Madueke clash.
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