Andoni Iraola has stated that he will advise his players to go down in future matches after Liverpool’s penalty appeal was denied during their recent defeat against Arsenal.

In the first half of the game, Liverpool found themselves trailing 1-0 after Kai Havertz’s goal. A significant incident unfolded when Alexander Isak had his shirt tugged by Jurrien Timber as he attempted to head the ball from a cross by Bradley Barcola.

Despite the clear contact, Isak chose to remain on his feet, prompting referee Andy Madley to refrain from awarding a penalty. Stuart Attwell, overseeing VAR, decided that there wasn’t sufficient evidence to overturn the original decision, a conclusion Iraola disputed.

“There is a clear grab of the shirt,” Iraola remarked during Match of the Day. “Alex [Isak] was positioned to head the ball in front of the goal, but couldn’t due to the tug on his shirt. If he had dropped to the ground, it’s certain they would call for a penalty.” He emphasized that managers should instruct players to go down to ensure calls are made in their favor.

Iraola continued, “The reality is that you have to dive; otherwise, they won’t call it.” He stressed the need for strategic changes moving forward and acknowledged the unfortunate necessity of emphasizing this tactic to his players.

Although Isak and Timber spoke after the incident, Isak did not appeal to the referee for a foul. Iraola confirmed to Sky Sports his intention to advise Isak, stating: “Yes, definitely.” He elaborated further during a news conference with BBC Sport, saying, “It’s regrettable that I have to suggest this, but we need to tell them to fall if they want calls to be made. If they don’t, referees and everyone else complain when players go down.” He added that Isak had displayed honesty in his attempt to play the ball and highlighted the evident tug on his shirt.

The incident is understood to have been overlooked due to the minimal contact not being categorized as sustained holding, allowing play to continue. Iraola acknowledged in his press conference that any subsequent apology from Pro Ref, the Premier League’s refereeing body, would not change the outcome.

Former Premier League assistant referee Darren Cann commented on the matter to BBC Sport, noting that Timber’s action of grabbing the shirt was a significant risk, which could have easily resulted in a penalty on a different occasion.

In addition to the incident involving Isak, Liverpool faced another penalty appeal when Cody Gakpo went down in the box under pressure from Christos Tzolis.

‘It’s an odd reaction from Isak’

Former Liverpool player Danny Murphy remarked that the decision was crucial in the context of the match. “I think Arsenal got lucky,” he commented on Match of the Day, suggesting that an exaggerated response from Isak might have been more beneficial in securing the penalty.

“I sympathize with the referee; the events occurred rapidly,” he added. “I believed VAR had adequate grounds to re-examine the situation, and had Isak made more of it, perhaps they would have re-evaluated the call.” Gary Neville also noted that it was unusual for a forward like Isak not to protest more vigorously following such a foul.

In response to the incident, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk stated, “With 50 cameras capturing the action, why should Isak need to complain? Everyone observed the contact, yet the penalty was not awarded, and unfortunately, we lost the match. Congratulations to Arsenal for their performance.”