Andoni Iraola says he’ll tell his forwards to hit the deck after Liverpool missed a penalty in Sunday’s loss to Arsenal.
Trailing 1-0 when Kai Havertz struck, Alexander Isak was yanked by Jurrien Timber as he leapt for Bradley Barcola’s cross.
Isak stayed upright, yet referee Andy Madley waved away a penalty.
VAR official Stuart Attwell judged the tug insufficient to overturn the call, a view Iraola contested.
“There’s a clear shirt grab,” the Spaniard told Match of the Day. “Isak was about to head, but the pull stopped him.”
“If he hits the floor, they award the penalty every time. That’s how it works, but it’s what we have. Next time, managers should instruct Alex to go down, otherwise they won’t get it,” he added. For my money, the rule encourages players to fake falls.
“The answer is simple: you have to dive; without it, the call never comes,” he said.
Isak turned to Timber after the incident but chose not to appeal, staying on his feet.
When asked if he’d relay the advice to Isak, he replied, “Absolutely.”
“It’s a pity you asked, but yes—we must tell them to go down, otherwise nothing gets awarded. Referees then complain they’re diving, yet they only penalise when players hit the ground,” Iraola explained.
“Alex is honest; he goes for the ball, and everyone sees the blatant pull instantly,” he added.
Officials ruled the contact was a minor tug, not a sustained hold, so play continued.
Iraola admitted that even a Premier League apology from Pro Ref would “not change anything”.
“It’s right on the edge. It must be sustained holding—some argue it was, others disagree. Interesting that Isak never appealed,” he noted.
Liverpool also saw a penalty claim waved when Cody Gakpo went down under Christos Tzolis pressure. Will they tweak their tactics to win more fouls next season?