Former Premier League referees Peter Walton and Mark Clattenburg have defended linesman Constantine Hatzidakis for his role in the incident with Liverpool defender Andy Robertson during the clash with Arsenal.
The flashpoint came at the beginning of the half-time break as the Scotland international spoke to the assistant referee before it appeared that the 38-year-old official raised his arm and elbowed the Reds full-back in the face. Robertson and his teammates took their remonstrations to referee Paul Tierney who booked the left-back.
Hatzidakis will not be on the touchline, following an announcement from the PGMOL until further notice as they begin their investigation into what transpired during the interval of the enthralling 2-2 draw between Liverpool and Arsenal.
READ MORE: Oleksandr Zinchenko left fuming by Liverpool as Constantine Hatzidakis leaves reporters speechless
While there have been claims to suspend the official, two former top-flight referees have leapt to the defence of their colleague, laying blame with Robertson.
"Of course, Constantine Hatzidakis should not have pushed his elbow towards Andrew Robertson. All officials have a duty to uphold standards and the PGMOL probe may bring a reprimand," said Walton.
"However, I believe the available replays make the incident look worse than it probably was. Robertson went over to the assistant, and Hatzidakis then motions in the Liverpool left back's direction. The quality of the footage makes more than speculation difficult.
"Regardless, this episode is emblematic of the heightening tensions between players and officials. It is also worth emphasising that Robertson instigated the dispute by unnecessarily approaching Hatzidakis, as the confronting of referees and their assistants continues."
Clattenburg has urged Howard Webb to speak to the Liverpool full-back following the incident but took the same view as Walton that the Scot 'initiated the contact'.
"I have studied the footage that the PGMOL will look at and all the angles suggest Andrew Robertson initiated contact with Constantine Hatzidakis before the official reacted by swinging his arm," he wrote for the Mail.
"In doing so, Hatzidakis's elbow appeared to catch Robertson on the chin. Webb will now speak to Hatzidakis to get his side of the story. He should ask Robertson what happened, too.
"Players can push us officials to the limit. They can provoke to the point where you are probably tempted to give them something in return. But under no circumstances can we can respond. Certainly not physically."
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