Virgil van Dijk criticised the officials’ decision to deny Liverpool a penalty in their 1-0 defeat by Arsenal at Anfield. The Liverpool captain believes Alexander Isak should not have to make a more obvious appeal to catch the referee’s attention.
Kai Havertz scored the decisive goal, but the main talking point was the foul on Isak by Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber that went unpunished.
Liverpool wanted a penalty after Timber pulled Isak’s shirt in the box as the striker tried to reach a dangerous cross. Despite the protests, referee Andy Madley waved play on, and the VAR, under the supervision of Stuart Attwell, also decided not to recommend a review of the incident.
Van Dijk, visibly frustrated, said it was a clear offence that deserved to be punished.
Van Dijk questions the use of cameras
Speaking after the match, Van Dijk stressed that the incident should be easy to review, given the number of cameras available in modern football. “I saw it was a clear penalty. I’ve seen it given on other occasions, but today it wasn’t the case,” said the defender.
He also questioned the need for players to exaggerate contact in order to get decisions in their favour: “Why do we have to appeal when there are so many cameras?” he asked, pointing to the evidence of what happened.
Liverpool without a shot on target
Despite the controversy, Van Dijk acknowledged that the team were not clinical enough in front of goal: they had 17 attempts but no shots on target, which highlights Liverpool’s difficulties in attack.
Arsenal, for their part, showed a solid defence and secured an important win with Havertz’s goal in the first half. The defeat underlined the need for Liverpool to improve their attacking efficiency if they want to compete for titles this season.
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