Arsenal fans were left questioning the referee’s decisions after what they felt should have been a first-half penalty during their match against Liverpool.
Arsenal began strong, with Bukayo Saka scoring early by outmaneuvering Liverpool’s left-back Andrew Robertson and blasting a shot into the top of Caoimhín Kelleher’s net at nine minutes.
But Liverpool quickly responded, equalizing just nine minutes later.
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s corner kick was skillfully flicked on by Luis Diaz, allowing Virgil van Dijk to finish the move with a powerful header that silenced the home crowd.
Arsenal regained momentum in the 43rd minute when Declan Rice delivered a pinpoint free-kick into the box, which Mikel Merino converted, leaving fans confident as they went into halftime.
Although Arsenal looked promising in the first 45 minutes, the fans were vocal about a potential penalty they believed had been missed.
Around the 30th minute, Gabriel Martinelli made a run into Liverpool’s box, where Alexander-Arnold attempted a challenge.
Shortly after, Ibrahima Konaté appeared to clip Martinelli’s legs with his follow-through.
However, referee Anthony Taylor dismissed the incident despite calls for a penalty, leading fans to take to social media in frustration.
One fan voiced their discontent, saying, “19 of 20 teams get a penalty except Arsenal.”
Another shared, “The game is gone,” indicating their disappointment with the officiating. A third frustrated supporter posted, “Genuinely never seen a more blatant penalty in my life; Konate literally goes through Martinelli with no contact on the ball, and Trent is there too. What on earth.”
Another added, “Blatant penalty, but it’s Arsenal so play on,” suggesting bias in the decision.
Even Manchester United fans chimed in, still feeling the sting of a late penalty decision in their own 2-1 loss to West Ham United.
One Manchester United fan remarked, “That’s a penalty for Arsenal, but they won’t give it because it’s against Liverpool and not Manchester United. Unlucky Arsenal.”
Amid the match’s excitement, Arsenal’s defensive stability took a hit as center-back Gabriel was substituted due to an apparent injury, replaced by Jakub Kiwior, who paired with Ben White in central defense.
White was already stepping in for the suspended William Saliba, so Gabriel’s injury could pose a further challenge.
The extent of Gabriel’s condition remains unknown, and Mikel Arteta is expected to address it after the game.
In response to the penalty controversy, the Premier League released a statement through its Match Centre X account, explaining, “The referee’s call of no penalty for the challenge by Konate on Martinelli was checked and confirmed by VAR—deeming that Konate won the ball.”
This statement was unlikely to satisfy Arsenal fans who felt they were denied a crucial decision, contributing to an ongoing debate about refereeing consistency in high-stakes matches.