Iraola Threatens to Tell Liverpool Players to Go Down After Isak Penalty Controversy
Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola has expressed frustration with the refereeing decisions following his side’s Premier League clash against Arsenal, admitting he may encourage his players to go to ground in future to win penalties.
Arsenal secured a historic 1-0 victory at Anfield, ending their 14-year wait for a Premier League win at the stadium.
However, Iraola believes Liverpool should have been awarded a first-half penalty after Alexander Isak appeared to have his shirt pulled while attempting to reach a cross inside the penalty area.
The Liverpool boss argued that the contact clearly affected Isak’s ability to challenge for the ball and questioned why the incident was not considered a penalty.
Iraola suggested the referee may have overlooked the situation because Isak remained on his feet instead of going down.
He also pointed to another incident involving Cody Gakpo, who was allegedly held inside the box. Although Iraola acknowledged that the ball may have been too far away for Gakpo to reach, he insisted that the same reasoning should not be applied differently to Isak’s situation.
When asked whether he would tell his players to go down more easily in future, Iraola admitted that he might have to.
The Liverpool manager expressed disappointment that such an approach could become necessary, arguing that players who remain on their feet after being fouled risk missing out on penalties.
He added that referees often question players for going to ground, yet failing to do so can also result in decisions going against them.
Iraola’s comments have added further fuel to the debate surrounding VAR, penalty decisions and the treatment of players inside the penalty area.
