Arsenal idol issues intriguing verdict as Gabriel Magalhaes controversy analysed
Kevin Campbell has suggested Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes was lucky to not concede a penalty at Crystal Palace on Friday.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Gunners and Everton striker would have “accepted it” if referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot after the first-half incident.
Gabriel handled the ball inside the area during the first half of Arsenal’s 2-0 at Selhurst Park.
Referee Taylor did not deem the contact worthy of a penalty and VAR official Darren England did not adjudge there to have been a clear and obvious error.
Mikel Arteta’s side recorded their first clean sheet of the season on Friday with a new look back four.
William Saliba impressed on his debut alongside Gabriel in the heart of the defence.
When asked by Football Insider for his assessment of the potential penalty incident, Campbell said: “Listen, if it was given, I would not be here complaining about it. That is for sure.
“The ball has gone so high. He didn’t know where the ball was and that is why I think the referee gave him the benefit of the doubt.
“The ball came down and hit him on the arm rather than it being a movement from the hand to the ball. His hand was just there.
“If it was given I don’t think anybody would complain. They would just accept it is one of those things.
“It could have been given. It was not though and we move on.”
In other news, a pundit has claimed Granit Xhaka is the victim of an agenda after Arsenal controversy analysed.