‘On another day…’ – Ex-PGMOL chief says Liverpool were ‘fortunate’ with one decision on Sunday

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A former Premier League referee believes that Liverpool were ‘fortunate’ with one incident in particular from their defeat to Arsenal on Sunday.The Reds were left incensed by the failure of referee Andy Madley and VAR Stuart Attwell to spot a clear shirt tug by Jurrien Timber on Alexander Isak inside the penalty area, a decision that Steven Gerrard lamented as ‘an absolute embarrassment‘.It has even prompted debate as to whether the Swedish striker – who stayed on his feet and didn’t protest – could’ve done more to influence the officials, but earlier in the match there was an incident which had the Gunners complaining.Inside the opening minute, Trey Nyoni caught Martin Odegaard on the Achilles but avoided a yellow card, just as he did for a foul on Kai Havertz shortly afterwards.Hackett: Nyoni and Liverpool were ‘fortunate’Former PGMOL chief executive Keith Hackett feels that the Liverpool midfielder was quite lucky not to have been at least booked over those two early fouls, especially the first one.He told Football Insider: “First of all, it doesn’t matter whether it’s the first or the 90th minute; the laws of the game apply. He’s raked his studs down the Achilles of his opponent.

“However you look at that, that has to receive a sanction; so for me, I’ll give him slight benefit of the doubt, slight mistiming, whatever you want, but he has to come out of that with a yellow card at the very minimum.” Want more Empire of the Kop coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust Liverpool got away with one in that instance Taking the challenge on Odegaard in isolation, Nyoni probably should’ve been booked for the nature of the foul, irrespective of it being in the first minute.

Would he have flown into the tackle on Havertz had he already been on a yellow card? Nyoni and Liverpool were lucky in that instance, but don’t let this be a case of two wrongs making a right when weighing it up against the penalty we should’ve had for Timber’s shirt tug on Isak.