PGMOL has addressed the controversy surrounding Liverpool’s penalty appeal in their recent clash against Arsenal, offering insight into why a penalty wasn’t awarded for Martin Odegaard’s apparent handball in the box. In a pivotal match that could have propelled Liverpool to the top of the Premier League table for Christmas, they ended up with a 1-1 draw against league leaders Arsenal at Anfield.
During the heated contest, Liverpool fervently argued for a penalty in the first half, citing Odegaard’s potential handball. The Norwegian player slipped inside Liverpool’s box, and the home team strongly believed that his arm made contact with the ball while he attempted to turn, which they believed warranted a penalty.
Referee Chris Kavanagh disregarded the appeals, a decision confirmed by VAR official David Coote. PGMOL subsequently clarified to Sky Sports that although there was contact with Odegaard’s arm, the absence of a penalty was justified because his arm was moving toward his body as he went down, suggesting it was not an intentional handball but rather a result of his attempt to regain balance.
Following the match, PGMOL released a statement addressing this decision. More details can be found below:
