The VAR ‘mistakes’ that weren’t – Arsenal beat Liverpool fair and square

The capstone of Arsenal’s impressive start to the season has been drowned out by cries of incorrect decisions by referee Michael Oliver and the VAR official Darren England.

Putting the contested decisions to one side for a moment, Arsenal were – especially in the second half – by far the better side on Sunday and deserved to collect all the points. They had more than double the shots on target – seven to Liverpool’s measly three – and dominated the xG battle. Arsenal also looked far more menacing, having 46 touches in Liverpool’s box, which is the most Jurgen Klopp’s side have allowed since 2019.

Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli tormented and dizzied Trent Alexander-Arnold and Kostas Tsimikas. Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey, although initially dominated in the first half, grew into the game and controlled the match as it went on.

Takehiro Tomiyasu neutralised Mohamed Salah, who was hauled off by Klopp for Fabinho, a substitution that was an admission that Liverpool were getting overrun and their star man was kept quiet. It was a thoroughly deserved victory for Mikel Arteta’s army against a side they have struggled to score against, never mind beat.

The VAR ‘mistakes’ that weren’t – Arsenal beat Liverpool fair and square

Now onto the “wrong” decisions by Michael Oliver. Liverpool, who have so often been the darlings of the media and whose former players dominate the punditry arena, were apparently unfortunate to not get a penalty for an alleged Gabriel Magalhaes handball and unfortunate again to concede one for Thiago’s contact on Gabriel Jesus in the area.

Because Gabriel did not deliberately handle the ball, we can rule that out. The rules, however, state that if a player “touches the ball with their hand/arm when it has made their body unnaturally bigger” it would be a handball offence. The law further states:  “A player is considered to have made their body unnaturally bigger when the position of their hand/arm is not a consequence of, or justifiable by, the player’s body movement for that specific situation.”

Gabriel’s arm was not in an unnatural position. It was extremely close to his body, not outstretched. It was also a consequence of his movement as he tried to stop himself to block Diogo Jota’s cross. Per the rules, the VAR official Darren England made the correct call.

Some have tried to compare the Gabriel incident with Dan Burn’s handball in the Newcastle vs Brentford game on Saturday, but it only underlines that the Gabriel decision was correct. Unlike the Brazilian, Burn’s hand was in an unnatural position. His arm was outstretched and far away from his body. It was not a consequence of his body movement.

Thiago’s kick on Jesus was also apparently “soft” and not the correct decision, but the reality is Thiago did kick Jesus’s foot and impeded him in the box, which will always result in a penalty kick. Had that been Xhaka kicking Salah’s heel in the box, Liverpool fans and their allies in the media would not be so outraged.

And when Martin Odegaard made minimal contact with Christian Eriksen at Old Trafford which saw VAR intervene and chalk off Martinelli’s opener, it seems only when it’s Arsenal who are the beneficiary of ‘borderline’ decisions do we hear collective outcries about VAR and conversations about how much contact warrants a foul.

Nevertheless, Arsenal sit atop the Premier League table. And deservedly so.