da brwin： Liverpool fans have been left bemused by the decision to award Arsenal a penalty against Brighton after they did not get one against Manchester City.
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Arsenal awarded penalty against BrightonLiverpool fans vent anger on social mediaGunners go top of the table with winWHAT HAPPENED?
Gabriel Jesus picked up the ball just outside the Brighton penalty area before jinking inside the box and away from Tariq Lamptey. The Brighton defender took the Brazilian out after brushing the lower side of the ball, resulting in a a penalty that was dispatched by Bukayo Saka. VAR decided there was no clear and obvious error and the decision was upheld, despite the touch on the ball. Liverpool fans, however, have been quick to point to Jeremy Doku's challenge on Alexis Mac Allister last month was not given as a penalty because the Belgian got a touch on the ball first.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING
Liverpool fans let their anger be known on X, @LfcShaunjudge said: "VAR is corrupt as f*ck.. Mac Allister didn't get penalty because Doku clips ball 1st… 10000000000% proves what a bunch of cheating w*nkers VAR are…"
Another Reds fan, @SawkurGod, took aim at PGMOL: "They said Doku got the ball first (highly debatable) and that was enough to make a kick to the chest legal. Lamptey clearly gets the ball before tripping Jesus, but that's not enough to overturn the call? No tribalism required to say the consistency from PGMOL really stinks."
David Phillips argued: "Premier League refereeing and its application of VAR is truly incomprehensible if you can award a penalty for Lamptey's challenge on Jesus but not award a penalty for the challenge by Doku on Mac Allister."
@Stehoare could not believe the decision. He said: Doku apparently touched the ball first, hence no pen given for the foul on Mac Allister. Lamptey touched the ball first, still a pen anyway… Make it make sense."
Some Liverpool fans even claimed there was corruption. @GeirIvanTorvik tweeted: Lamptey tackle, gets a small part of the ball. Penalty. Doku highfoot tackle, gets a small part of the ball. No penalty. Howard Webb is reading the rules from a checkbook."
@AnfieldRd96 believes the league have decided they do not want Liverpool to be crowned champions. They said: "The day they didn’t give Liverpool a penalty for Doku almost sending Mac Allister to hospital for multiple holes in his chest, that’s when I knew they didn’t want us to win it."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Both decisions can be considered to be 50:50 and could have been awarded either way. The difference between the two incidents lies in the on-field decision.0 The Gunners were awarded the penalty without hesitation by John Brooks and VAR did not deem it to be a clear and obvious error. Liverpool, however, were not awarded the spot kick and VAR did not overturn that decision either.
Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL AND LIVERPOOL?
Arsenal's 3-0 victory over Brighton takes them back to the top of the summit and puts pressure on Liverpool to secure victory against Manchester United on Sunday. The Gunners meanwhile host a struggling Bayern Munich on Tuesday in the Champions League quarter-finals.