Why Anthony Taylor ruled out late Arsenal winner vs Liverpool as 'soft' verdict revealed

The Gunners faced disconnected against the Reds connected Sunday day successful a immense rubric contention clash, and took the pb aboriginal connected done Bukayo Saka - who shaked disconnected wounded concerns to start. Virgil van Dijk nodded successful a country soon aft to level the earlier Mikel Merino headed location from a set-piece to springiness Arsenal the pb conscionable earlier half-time.

It was a thrilling archetypal half, but the 2nd was a antithetic substance arsenic the Gunners again retreated to clasp onto their pb - particularly aft Gabriel was forced disconnected done wounded - with the likes of David Raya booked for time-wasting with fractional an hr near to play. Liverpool yet equalised with 9 minutes remaining done a stunning counterattack finished disconnected by Mohamed Salah.

As frustrating arsenic Salah's equaliser was to Gunners fans, their ire was directed astatine referee Taylor when, successful the 90th minute, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus combined to people lone to realise that the whistle had already been blown for a foul successful the build-up.

The determination started erstwhile Curtis Jones fluffed a clearance, resulting successful Jakub Kiwior beating Dominik Szoboszlai by going implicit the apical of his opponent.

Taylor paused to spot wherever the shot fell, and it did to Kai Havertz who appeared to usage his limb to power the shot up of Ibrahim Konate, and past the whistle went to shot the play backmost for the earlier foul arsenic nary vantage could beryllium played.

Havertz continued unaware, lobbing Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher arsenic Trent Alexander-Arnold failed to cleared, seeing the shot bounce disconnected the station and duly beryllium tapped location into an bare nett by Jesus arsenic each different subordinate connected the transportation had stopped playing.

Taylor had halted the play for a foul connected Szoboszlai and the VAR could not get progressive to grant the extremity arsenic the referee had blown earlier the shot crossed the line.

Speaking connected Sky Sports aft the game, erstwhile Premier League authoritative Mike Dean admitted it was a "soft foul" to award, and 1 which helium deemed "50/50" to give.

"It's much of a brushed foul if anything, to beryllium just he's conscionable penalised the Arsenal player, it's astir apt a 50/50 call, for me," helium said. “[Taylor]'s had a bully crippled the referee, truthful I can't criticise him for that to beryllium honorable with you."

Sections of Arsenal fans online judge themselves to beryllium victims of mediocre refereeing decisions, voicing criticisms of lucifer officials aft seeing their squad driblet points this season. One Gunners instrumentality wrote connected X that “the referee was truthful accelerated to stroke the whistle truthful VAR couldn’t reappraisal it too", portion different added: "Officials hopeless not to spot Arsenal triumph arsenic usual."

On the Liverpool side, nether a video of the incidental titled 'Chaos astatine The Emirates' 1 instrumentality wrote “there wasn’t immoderate chaos, whistle blown play called back" and different added: "It's not chaos! It's the close decision!"

Red cards for Declan Rice, Leandro Trossard and William Saliba person each travel successful games which the Gunners person gone connected to driblet points. Are they present 5 points disconnected champions Manchester City, and 4 disconnected Liverpool.

Arsenal were favourites to triumph the Premier League rubric a small implicit a week ago. They are present 5 points disconnected champions Manchester City, and 4 disconnected Liverpool, and a wide 3rd successful the contention for the league crown.