Liverpool penalty denied by VAR after 'clumsy' Arsenal star ran huge risk

A controversial moment in Liverpool’s clash with Arsenal saw the visitors feel they were denied a clear penalty despite a VAR check. Early in the second half, a Liverpool attacker broke into the box and tangled with an Arsenal defender, who made a clumsy attempt to challenge and appeared to make significant contact without playing the ball. The incident looked risky from the defender, especially given the position on the pitch and the stakes of the game.

On first viewing, the referee waved play on, judging the contact as either minimal or part of a normal coming-together inside the area. VAR then reviewed the incident from multiple angles to assess whether a “clear and obvious error” had been made. Despite replays highlighting the defender’s mistimed movement and the attacker going down under pressure, the VAR opted not to intervene, advising that the on-field decision should stand and that no on-field review was necessary.

The article explains that this outcome frustrated Liverpool, with many observers arguing that, under current interpretations, the challenge met the usual threshold for a spot-kick. The defender’s decision to step across the attacker and the lack of any genuine attempt to win the ball were both cited as factors that could easily have led to a penalty on another day. Pundits and supporters questioned the consistency of VAR, pointing to similar incidents in other matches that had resulted in penalties.

In broader terms, the piece situates this flashpoint within ongoing debates about VAR’s role and the Premier League’s “high bar” for overturning on-field calls. It suggests that while the defender “ran a huge risk” with such a clumsy challenge, Liverpool ultimately paid the price for officials once again choosing not to re-referee a subjective decision, leaving lingering anger and renewed scrutiny on the system.