Dermot Gallagher shares what VAR said about Martin Odegaard’s handball during Liverpool v Arsenal

Dermot Gallagher shares what VAR said about Martin Odegaard’s handball during Liverpool v Arsenal
Former referee Dermot Gallagher (Reuters)
Dermot Gallagher has offered an insight into the conversation between VAR and Chris Kavanagh during Liverpool’s 1-1 draw against Arsenal on Saturday at Anfield.

There isn’t a Premier League game without any controversy and this title tussle produced another one that will be talked about for a while.

Liverpool felt that Martin Odegaard handled the ball just inside the penalty area and he should have been punished, the on-field call was waved away.

But now Dermot Gallagher has shared that he heard the conversation between Chris Kavanagh and VAR, who decided against punishing the Arsenal captain because they felt ‘he slipped’ and ‘his arm is coming in towards his body and making himself smaller’, as he told Premier League Productions (23/12/23 at 8:15 pm).

Just for context, Dermot Gallagher felt that the wrong call was made and Liverpool should have been awarded a penalty.

Usually, Mikel Arteta is pretty vocal about these calls, but surprise, surprise, he doesn’t have much to say this time around because he knows his team are fortunate – Mohamed Salah’s brilliant effort was cancelled out by Gabriel Magalhaes’ opener.

Either way, it proved to be a major call in the game, as ex-referee Dermot Gallagher explained in detail.

Martin Odegaard handball v Liverpool
“I do agree (that a penalty should have been awarded),” said Gallagher.

“When I first saw it, I thought he was slipping. I can understand the referee on the pitch not giving it.

“The VAR felt that, with the subjective nature of handball, he thinks he is slipping and his arm is coming in. If you see that last picture, it looks as though he moves towards the ball and I think the more acceptable decision would have been a penalty.

“I could hear them speaking. I heard him say back to Chris Kavanagh that ‘he has slipped and his arm is coming in towards his body and he is making himself smaller’.

“Whether he has felt that and he isn’t seeing it like we have or whether he hasn’t seen the angle like we have. But, without doubt, the last angle we see is the most daming one. You see his arm come in and without doubt he plays the ball.”

Liverpool FC v Arsenal FC – Premier League
Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Manchester City the real winners?
The Premier League’s top three dropped points this weekend, whilst the Treble winners Manchester City added another trophy to their cabinet when they won the Club World Cup in Saudi Arabio.

That’s a big win for Pep Guardiola’s side, who are sitting fifth in the Premier League table and six points behind the leaders with a game in hand.

Man City just haven’t been themselves this season and you just wonder if this Club World Cup win will now galvanise them.

If it doesn’t, then it makes things far spicier and better in the Premier League title race.