Klopp found himself perplexed by the decision to overlook Martin Odegaard’s handball incident within Arsenal’s penalty area. Odegaard, slipping and in the act of falling, directed his arm towards the ball. Liverpool felt aggrieved at not being granted a penalty opportunity from the spot, and William Saliba from Arsenal also believed it warranted a penalty.
Expressing his frustration, Klopp remarked, “The penalty situation is a weird situation, I don’t know if the ref can see it, but you look at it and I’m not sure how you can say it’s not a penalty. I’m pretty sure someone will explain it to me about why it wasn’t a handball, but I don’t know how.”
Acknowledging the limitations of the referee’s viewpoint, Klopp questioned the decision-making process when reviewed post-match. The absence of a penalty for Liverpool might significantly alter both the outcome and the narrative of the title race, placing them ahead of Arsenal by two points instead of trailing by one.
Liverpool will rue Trent Alexander-Arnold’s missed opportunity to secure a winning goal, though considering Arsenal’s solid defensive performance, a draw seemed a fair outcome.
Looking ahead, Klopp gears up his team for a Boxing Day clash at Turf Moor, aiming to surpass their current opponents in the standings. Meanwhile, Arsenal will seek a response as they host West Ham on Thursday.
Liverpool performance and stats
Liverpool
Liverpool is currently 2nd in the Premier League with 39 points.
In the last 18 games, it has won 11 times, drawn 6 times, and lost once. In its last match, Liverpool drawn 1-1 against Arsenal.
It has a positive goal difference after scoring 37 goals and conceding 16.
Liverpool will play the next match in Premier League against Burnley on Tuesday 26th of December in Burnley. The prediction is Liverpool winning the match.
