Ex-Premier League referee: Arsenal victims of major injustice as controversial Gabriel Jesus image emerges
Arsenal should have had a penalty in their 1-1 draw with Southampton on Sunday (23 October), according to Keith Hackett.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee insisted Duje Caleta-Car was guilty of “grappling” with Gabriel Jesus in the first half.
Just after Arsenal’s opening goal, Jesus got goalside of Caleta-Car after a ball over the top and entered the penalty area.
Caleta-Car came from behind and dragged the striker to the ground but referee Robert Jones waved away Arsenal’s appeals for a penalty and VAR did not feel it was a clear and obvious error.
As quoted by football.london after the game, Mikel Arteta insisted he had “no complaints” with the result and refused to comment on the penalty call.
“That’s a penalty kick for me,” Hackett said after analysing the image with Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“That photograph says it all. You cannot, as a defender, grab your arms around like that.
“Then we say, why has that not been penalised? Come on referees, this is grappling.
“This is why in the Man United game they are saying there is inconsistency because there is.
“All of these referees need to sit in front of a screen and the manager should show all these clips and say very clearly ‘This is a holding offence, I want penalty kicks awarded’.”
The draw at St. Mary’s was only the second time Arsenal have dropped points in the Premier League this season.
They remain top of the division, two points clear of Man City who are second.
In other news, Kieran Maguire has lambasted “spectacular arrogance” as Arsenal chief Mark Gonnella quits.