VAR under fire after Arsenal's win at Anfield as Isak penalty claim dominates debate

Arsenal's impressive win at Anfield has been somewhat overshadowed by a major refereeing talking point, with pundits and fans alike debating whether Liverpool should have had a penalty against the Gunners.

The incident centres on Jurrien Timber appearing to pull the shirt of Alexander Isak during the game, with Football.London noting the moment came during Arsenal's "monumental 1-0 win away at Liverpool at Anfield" (Football.London). Despite replays being reviewed, no penalty was given, and that decision has become the main story in the aftermath.

Reaction from outside the Arsenal bubble has been strong. talkSPORT reports that Jeff Stelling branded VAR's failure to award the penalty a "dereliction of duty" (talkSPORT), while Sky Sports' Ref Watch panel discussed the incident under the headline "It's nailed on!", questioning why Isak wasn't awarded a spot-kick (Sky Sports). The BBC Sport piece even features an Arsenal supporter, Watson, admitting he "doesn't understand" why Liverpool weren't given the penalty either, suggesting even some Gunners fans see the merit in Liverpool's complaint (BBC Sport).

For Arsenal supporters, though, the context matters: the Gunners came away from a notoriously tough away ground with all three points, and Football.London's wider referee review also flags other major moments from the game, including what's described as a "Madueke fiasco" and a missed red card (Football.London). That suggests the officiating controversies may not have been one-way traffic, even if the Isak shirt-pull is getting most of the attention elsewhere.

Football.London also ran a poll asking fans directly whether Arsenal were lucky to get away with the VAR penalty decision (Football.London), reflecting how much debate the incident has stirred beyond Anfield itself.

For Arsenal, the bigger picture is a priceless away win against a major rival, with the penalty talk unlikely to change the result. Attention will now turn quickly to upcoming fixtures, but the Gunners will be happy to take the three points from Anfield regardless of the post-match noise.

Written with the help of AI, using the headlines from the publishers credited above. Each point links to the original report — tap the source name to read it in full.