Former Premier League referee Peter Walton has explained why Arsenal were not awarded a penalty in their 1-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Mikel Arteta's side believed they should have been awarded a spot-kick after the ball visibly struck Marc Cucurella's arm on the edge of the Blues' penalty area.
Despite a lengthy VAR check, referee Michael Oliver allowed play to continue as the Gunners hung onto a vital London derby win and returned to the top of the Premier League.
READ MORE: Chelsea vs Arsenal highlights: All the action as it happened
And whilst noting that the incident was a clear handball, Walton agreed with VAR's eventual decision. "That’s a handball in my opinion," he highlighted as part of BT Sport's coverage.
"The arm is removed from the body. The issue is whether the handball is inside the area, that’s the big thing. I think the handball actually happens outside the area."
When questioned by Jermaine Jenas upon whether Cucurella's foot being on the line meant he was outside the box, Walton explained further: "No, if your foot is on the line then it’s inside the area, if you’re making a foul.
"But a handball offence is when the ball connects with the arm, and the arm was outside the penalty area."
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