Jump directly to the content
POINT GAARD

Jurgen Klopp blasts ‘how can that not be a penalty?’ after Martin Odegaard ‘goes full Lebron James’ against Liverpool

Martin Odegaard looked to have got away with one - scroll down to see the incident

JURGEN KLOPP blasted "how can you say that's not a penalty?" after Arsenal's Martin Odegaard got away with a handball.

The Premier League title challengers drew 1-1 in a thrilling encounter at Anfield on Saturday night.

Martin Odegaard appeared to handle the ball against Liverpool
3
Martin Odegaard appeared to handle the ball against LiverpoolCredit: BEIN SPORTS
But neither the referee of VAR intervened
3
But neither the referee of VAR intervenedCredit: Sky Sports

But Liverpool boss Klopp was left bemused as to why his side had not had the chance to claim all three points.

Arsenal had flown into the lead through defender Gabriel Magalhaes' towering header just four minutes in.

It was then that Liverpool had a golden penalty appeal waved away by referee Chris Kavanagh.

Trent Alexander-Arnold's deflected free-kick spun towards Gunner skipper Martin Odegaard.

READ MORE IN FOOTBALL

And, with Odegaard losing his balance slightly, the ball clearly struck his hand, before bouncing to the ground away from Liverpool's Mo Salah.

Reds stars, and all of Anfield, screamed for a penalty, as Odegaard sheepishly played on.

Kavanagh played on, and a lengthy VAR check decided it was not clear and obvious.

Speaking after the game, in which Salah levelled with a first-half stunner, Klopp said: "The penalty situation is a weird situation.

CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS

3

"I don't know if the ref can see it, but you look at it and I'm not sure how you can say it's not a penalty."

Trent Alexander-Arnold added: "From a Liverpool perspective that's always bound to be a handball. The decision didn't go our way for whatever reason. 

"That probably got us back into the game and got us another goal.

"We see it as a penalty but the decision didn't go out way."

Gary Neville on commentary had called Odegaard "lucky" and suggested it was the slip that saved him.

But viewers on Sky Sports were baffled.

One posted: "Odegaard went full LeBron. How is this not a penalty?"

A second wrote: "Odegaard playing basketball in the box against Liverpool. Is there anything he cannot do?"

A third commented: "How is this not even a penalty?"

A fourth said: "That is crazy, clear pen."

READ MORE SUN STORIES

Another added: "He quite literally grabs the ball and pushes it out the way."

Sky Sports have claimed that PGMOL has stated that the reason the penalty was not given as "Odegaard's arm is moving towards the body and not the ball as he goes down."

ARSENAL NEWS LIVE: Stay up to date with all the latest transfer news from the Emirates

Topics