Iraola: I’ll Tell My Players to Go Down After Liverpool Penalty Appeal Ignored

Andoni Iraola says he will tell his Liverpool players to dive in future after the club were denied a penalty in Sunday’s defeat by Arsenal.

Liverpool were trailing 1-0 to a Kai Havertz goal when Alexander Isak had his shirt pulled by Jurrien Timber in the first half. Isak was going for a header from Bradley Barcola’s cross, stayed on his feet and referee Andy Madley did not award a penalty. VAR Stuart Attwell judged there was not enough in the tug to overturn the decision.

Iraola disagreed. He told Match of the Day that there was a clear grab of the shirt, that Isak was just in front of Timber and was about to head the ball in front of goal but could not because of it. If Isak had gone down, he said, the penalty would have been given “100%”, and managers should tell Isak to go to the floor next time, or it will not be called. Asked for the answer going forward, he said: “you have to dive”.

He told Sky Sports that managers should tell their players to go down, and said “definitely” when asked if he would pass that message to Isak. At his news conference he said it was a shame he had to say it, but that referees then complain about players going down when they are effectively told not to give it otherwise. He added that Isak is honest and was trying to get to the ball, and that anyone could see a “clear, clear pull” live. He conceded that an apology from Pro Ref, the Premier League’s refereeing body, would “not change anything”.

Isak turned and spoke to Timber after the incident but did not appeal to the referee. The understanding is that the contact was minimal, a slight tug rather than sustained holding, so play was allowed to continue.

Former Premier League assistant referee Darren Cann told BBC Sport that Timber took a huge risk and the decision could easily have gone the other way on another day. He said it was right on the limit, since holding has to be sustained, and that some will see it as sustained and some will not. He noted it was interesting that Isak did not appeal.

Liverpool also had a second penalty appeal waved away, when Cody Gakpo went down in the box under pressure from Christos Tzolis.