‘We have to tell them to go down’: Iraola responds to Isak penalty denial for Liverpool

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Asked whether Isak should have collapsed in the area, the Liverpool head coach replied: “It’s a shame you ask me this question but, honestly, yes, we have to tell them to go down because they’re not going to call it otherwise.“And then referees complain why they go down. “I think there are two situations and they are a bit related,” he said.“The Isak one is a clear penalty.

The ball just goes in front of Alex and I don’t see the reason why [it isn’t given]. ­“Probably because he doesn’t dive or he doesn’t go to the floor. The Gakpo one, I think it’s a sustained holding but I understand their argument and I think they are right when they say the ball was too long in the air and Cody wouldn’t have arrived to the ball.“But then you’re basically ­accepting that the first one is a ­penalty, no?

Four days later you have to come to Anfield, and play against this manager, this team who are in a good moment, and so I am so proud of what my team has done.”Arsenal have now won at four grounds where they did not win when securing the title last season – Anfield, Villa Park, the Stadium of Light and the City Ground.“This is a mission we didn’t complete for 14 years,” Arteta said. We knew we would have to navigate periods where we had to suffer.”When informed that his team had denied Liverpool a shot on target in a Premier League game for the first time in 16 years, Arteta said: “I didn’t know about that stat but that is incredible.