Arsenal fans are outraged by the referee’s decision not to award a penalty to Martin Odegaard after Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson’s challenge.
Odegaard burst into the City box and appeared to be pushing the ball away from the Brazilian keeper’s boot as he slipped out and knocked the Gunners playmaker to the floor.
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There seemed to be clear contact but there was a question as to whether Ederson had received the ball before the Norway international.
Referee Stuart Atwell believed that the Brazilian international played the ball and VAR agreed.
But Arsenal fans have had none of it as they took to Twitter over the official decision.
One fan tweeted: “It’s a 100% penalty. Ederson gets nothing on the ball. How can you not see this.”
Another echoed the previous sentiment: “How did it happen that it wasn’t a penalty? There’s no way for Ederson to touch the ball.”
A third posted: “Ederson clearly brings down Martin Odegaard, how is that not a punishment?”
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This fan said: “Ederson is now largely away with two penalties against Newcastle and Arsenal.”
And that fan said: “Is Ederson safe from paying a penalty? He’s survived 2 blatant fouls in a fortnight.”
Refuting VAR’s decision on BT Sport, former referee Peter Walton said: “It must have clear evidence to overturn the decision.”
He concluded on the decision: “Perfect”.
Things got worse in the second half after 53 minutes when Bernardo Silva, under pressure from Granit Xhaca, fell inside the opposite box.
Atwell ordered Silva to rise but VAR official Jared Gillette advised the referee to reconsider and was awarded a spot-kick, which was converted four minutes later by Riyad Mahrez.
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