Arsenal ‘lucky’ with ‘penalty decision’ as ex-PGMOL chief drops verdict on ‘very risky’ action vs PSG
A former PGMOL chief reckons Arsenal were “lucky” not to concede a penalty during their 1-0 loss vs Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night.
Arsenal faced PSG in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final at the Emirates and were deservedly beaten 1-0.
The Gunners were fortunate not to concede more goals after 2025 top scorer in Europe contender, Ousmane Dembele, netted the game’s only goal inside the opening five minutes.
There were a few notable flashpoints in the match as each side felt they should have been awarded a penalty.
The Gunners appealed for a spot-kick as Mikel Merino was brought down by Joao Neves and ex-PGMOL chief Keith Hackett reckons this penalty “should have been awarded”.
“The challenge from the PSG player is careless and despite the great position taken up by the referee there is contact.” Hackett told Football Insider.
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“A penalty kick should have been awarded.”
Hackett believes PSG should also have been awarded a penalty, though. He claims Arsenal were “lucky to escape” after defender Jurrien Timber collided with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia inside the area.
“The Arsenal defender from this alternative angle is rather fortunate that this holding was not picked up by the VAR,” Hackett added.
“Having seen this you have to ask why the VAR did not intervene and allow the referee to view this again from this angle.
“It would have certainly have asked the question was this holding sufficient to award a penalty kick. Arsenal are lucky to have escaped a penalty kick decision.”
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On the second incident, Alan Shearer claimed Timber was “asking for trouble”, but Kvaratskhelia went down “very easily”.
“His [Timber] arm is around him, he’s asking for trouble doing that, but he [Kvaratskhelia] does go down very easily,” Shearer said.
“Looking at it from a forward’s point of view, if that’s an Arsenal player and the same thing happens, they’re wanting a penalty.
“It’s one of those where if he [the referee] gives it, it’s not being turned over. Perhaps not enough to give it anyway when he hasn’t given that decision. Very risky, though.”
Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg added: “I don’t think it’s a penalty. When you see an attacker do this, what the referee is looking at is, he’s looking at is the fall natural. With Timber’s arm, is it a natural fall?
“What he [Kvaratskhelia] does, the attacker puts his arm in the air and that’s normally a tell-tale sign for the referee that he’s actually simulating. He’s trying to tell the referee that it’s a [penalty] kick.
“But what I didn’t like was his [Kvaratskhelia] reaction after the contact, he’s running at the referee. He probably deserved a yellow card for dissent.”
