In a pivotal clash between Liverpool and Arsenal, a significant moment unfolded that left Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher bewildered on behalf of the Reds.
The incident involved Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard and a potential handball that went unnoticed by match officials. While Gabriel Magalhaes had given Arsenal an early lead with a header from Odegaard’s free-kick, the Norwegian midfielder found himself in controversy midway through the first half.
As Mohamed Salah attempted a flick-on, the ball struck Odegaard’s hand, seemingly warranting a penalty. Referee Chris Kavanagh missed the handball, allowing Arsenal to counter-attack.
Despite VAR intervention by David Coote, the decision not to award Liverpool a penalty stood, prompting Neville, despite his history as a Manchester United defender, to remark on Odegaard’s stroke of luck.
At halftime, Sky Sports revealed the official explanation from PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited), asserting that the incident didn’t qualify as a “clear and obvious error” since Odegaard’s arm was reportedly moving towards his body rather than the ball as he went down.
Despite the contentious decision, Liverpool staged a comeback before halftime, with Salah scoring a magnificent solo goal in the 29th minute. This set the stage for a crucial second half in this top-of-the-table clash.
