Andoni Iraola insists Alexander Isak was denied a 'clear penalty' in Liverpool's defeat to Arsenal
Andoni Iraola believes Liverpool should have had a 'clear penalty' when Alexander Isak was held in the box during Sunday's 1-0 defeat to Arsenal at Anfield.
Kai Havertz settled the Premier League clash with a close-range finish in the 16th minute, leaving Liverpool chasing the game for more than an hour without finding a way back.
The loss ended a run of five consecutive wins in all competitions for Iraola's side, and the head coach was clear in his post-match press conference that the opening quarter of an hour was where the damage was done.
"Overall, I think we have to blame especially the start of the game and until we conceded the goal. I think the start hasn't been at the level of the game," he said.
"But from that 1-0, I think it's [after] 15 or 16 minutes, I've loved the reaction of the team."
Iraola admitted the goal came from a mistake at a goal-kick, but felt the momentum swung decisively after it, with Liverpool hitting the crossbar and Alexis Mac Allister missing a header the Spaniard described as "a very clear chance".
"It's true we conceded when we mess up a goal-kick, but the feeling I had before was that their goal was closer than ours and from that moment I think the game has changed to our favour."
'You cannot use the argument in both ways'
Liverpool had two first-half penalty appeals turned down, one for a challenge on Isak and one involving Cody Gakpo. Iraola argued the two decisions could not both be justified.
"I think the [Alexander] Isak one is a clear penalty. He is going to head the ball in front of the goal and they grab him where everyone sees the shirt. You don't need a lot just to avoid Alex because the ball just goes in front of him and I don't see the reason why [it is not given]."
It was Liverpool's second defeat of the season, and Iraola linked it to the loss against Manchester City, where he pointed to Ryan Gravenberch's red card as a similar turning point.
"They haven't gone for us this season but we will see. The season is long and probably the next day it goes for us."
He insisted Liverpool could not hide behind officiating, though. "I can say what I think about the situations but we cannot waste too much time about the refereeing decisions. We have to say what it is, I think it is a pen, but we have to control the things we need to improve to be on the right side of these close games."
On the Gakpo incident, Iraola accepted the explanation he had been given, but said it only strengthened Liverpool's case over Isak.
"And then after the [Cody] Gakpo one, I think it's sustained holding but I understand the argument and I think they are right that they say the ball was too long and Cody wouldn't have arrived to the ball. But then you're basically accepting that the first one is a pen, no? So, you cannot use the argument in both ways differently. So, I think it's a pen, the Alex one is."
