Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola has questioned the consistency of Premier League refereeing after his team's 1-0 home defeat to Arsenal in the ninth round of the English championship.
As reported by İdman.Biz, citing The Guardian, the Spanish manager expressed frustration over two incidents in which referee Andy Madley declined to award Liverpool a penalty.
"I thought there was a prolonged hold on Gakpo, but I understand their argument and think they are right when they say the ball was in the air for too long and Cody would not have reached it anyway. But then you are essentially admitting that the first incident was a penalty, aren't you? You cannot use the same argument differently in two situations," Iraola said.
One controversial moment involved Cody Gakpo, who was allegedly held by Christos Tzolis inside the penalty area. Despite Liverpool's appeals, Madley allowed play to continue.
Earlier in the match, Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber appeared to pull Alexander Isak's shirt, preventing the Swedish striker from reaching a cross. Once again, the referee decided against awarding a spot-kick.
Iraola argued that the explanations offered for the two decisions were contradictory, raising concerns about the consistency of officiating standards in England's top flight.
The match, played at Anfield on November 1, ended in a 1-0 victory for Arsenal, with Kai Havertz scoring the decisive goal in the 16th minute.
The result represented another setback for Liverpool in their Premier League campaign, while Arsenal secured three valuable points in the battle at the top of the standings.
