Arsenal legend Ian Wright believes his former club were fortunate to receive a penalty which was converted to secure a 3-2 win over Liverpool yesterday afternoon.
Gabriel Jesus fell to the ground inside the penalty area after feeling contact on the back of his leg from Thiago Alcantara, leaving referee Michael Oliver in no doubt that a spot-kick was the appropriate course of action. This was not reviewed on a pitchside monitor as the Premier League official stood by his decision.
Bukayo Saka then stepped up to score from the spot to seal all three points for his side, leaving a number of Liverpool players incensed having felt the Brazilian forward had made the most of Thiago's attempt to regain possession of the ball amid a scramble inside the box.
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Sharing his view on the match-deciding incident, Wright questioned how the referee reached the verdict of awarding a penalty despite his delight at Arsenal maintaining their impressive start to the season.
"At some stage, they're going to have to look at that," the 58-year-old told Premier League Productions of the controversial call. "When I see that, and as much as I am delighted my team has gone top of the league, I've got to look at that and say I can't see where the foul is. I don't feel there is enough contact for him to go down like he has. He has not swung out at him and caught him on the move, he is behind him and it is minimum contact.
"At some stage, surely the referees have got to see that and say 'No, he has not impeded'. They have got to look at these because, for me, I don't see the foul if I'm being totally honest. Is that enough of a touch? He is not falling over there [after the initial contact], is that enough to give a penalty?"
Wright then asked former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher to share his view on the matter, to which the retired official responded: "The only one who can answer that is Michael Oliver." This comment only added to the frustration of the Arsenal icon, who added: "I'm tired of having to see you come up here and have to answer for them when I want to know from Michael Oliver how can you look at that and say 'Yeah, that's a pen'."
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