Alexander Isak incident in Liverpool vs Arsenal ‘promotes’ cheating – ex-refs chief explodes

Andy Madley and VAR missing a blatant Liverpool penalty for Arsenal hauling back Alexander Isak is exactly why players across the Premier League continue to cheat.

That is according to former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee, Keith Hackett, who exclusively told Football Insider that the Reds, at the very least, deserved a spot-kick at Anfield.

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Kai Havertz scored the only goal in a tight affair on Sunday, 1 November, but the main talking point was all about the referee’s performance.

In the 21st minute, Bradley Barcola swung a dangerous cross into the box, with Isak looking set to get on the end of it and equalise.

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Timber had other ideas, though, pulling his opponent’s shirt just before contact, forcing Liverpool’s No.9 to miss the ball completely.

It has been obvious to everyone else that Andoni Iraola’s side should have been awarded a penalty, but Madley and the VAR team at Stockley Park thought otherwise.

Alexander Isak incident to encourage diving

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Hackett believes that this kind of incident summarises why players still deem it acceptable to dive in the Premier League.

“They will argue very strongly that at the very least, it’s a penalty kick because that’s a simple, easy decision,” he said.

“It’s a holding offence that’s impacted Isak. This type of incident, not penalised, promotes the very nature of feeling contact and going to ground.

“This is why we get players going to ground, and therefore, my advice to his manager is to have a quiet word. This incident potentially impacted the result of the game.

“Liverpool came away with a loss. They may still have come away with a loss because not every penalty kick is scored. But they deserved more from the match official on this occasion.”

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It certainly wasn’t Madley’s finest game in the Premier League, and fans up and down the country could all agree on that at full-time.

Hackett was seemingly disappointed by the referee, so much so that he wants Howard Webb to suspend him for the next round of fixtures.

He believes the likes of Michael Oliver, Jarred Gillett and Anthony Taylor have set the bar so high that mistakes, such as Madley’s, need to be punished.

It remains to be seen if Webb will take action, but it will certainly be disappointing if he chooses not to take any action this week.