Keith Hackett

Mon 3 February 2025 16:00, UK

Liverpool were lucky not to concede a penalty during their win over Bournemouth, Keith Hackett has said.

The former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official exclusively told Football Insider that Trent Alexander-Arnold should have been penalised for handball insider his own area.

Arne Slot’s side remained on course to claim the Premier League title with a 2-0 victory over the Cherries at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday (1 February).

There however, some things that seemingly went in favour of Liverpool, one of which was the penalty appeal that was not given for Bournemouth.

Liverpool and Alexander-Arnold survive penalty claim at Bournemouth

The visitors had already seen one penalty call controversially go their way in this game when Mo Salah opened the scoring after Cody Gakpo was judged to have been brought down by Lewis Cook.

Liverpool were perhaps also fortunate not to have Alexis Mac Allister receive a second yellow card before he was withdrawn by Slot.

Moments later, Dango Outtara’s cross from the right hand side travelled all the way across the face of the Reds’ penalty area, before appealing to strike the arm of Alexander-Arnold on the far side of the box.

Although no penalty was given by referee Darren England, with the decision not recommended for a review by VAR either, Hackett believes the visitors were lucky not to concede a spot kick in this instance.

Speaking to Football Insider about whether Liverpool should have conceded a penalty when the ball hit Alexander-Arnold, the former referee said:

“For me, I thought this was a penalty kick. He controlled the ball. The arm’s stuck out, he’s clearly made his body shape, his silhouette bigger, the ball strikes the area that’s green in terms of handball, that’s a penalty kick he got away with it. Where was VAR?”

Next up for Liverpool is the challenge of overturning their 1-0 deficit to Tottenham in the second leg of their League Cup semi-final on Thursday (6 February).

They do of course sit in a strong position at the top of the Premier League, where they lead second-placed Arsenal by six points, with a game in hand.

In other news, a Liverpool player is set for a deadline day loan move to Portsmouth.

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