Arsenal legend Ian Wright has questioned VAR’s decision not to award Liverpool a penalty after Jurrien Timber appeared to pull Alexander Isak’s shirt during the Premier League showdown between the two sides.
Wright, who was supporting Liverpool against his former club, believes the officials got the decision wrong, insisting the incident should have resulted in a spot-kick for the Reds.
The controversial moment involved Arsenal defender Timber and Liverpool striker Isak, with the Dutchman pulling at the forward’s shirt during the contest. Despite the appeals, VAR did not intervene to award Liverpool a penalty.
The decision has since attracted attention, particularly given the potential impact it could have had on the outcome of the match.
Speaking on Sky Sports’ Super Sunday coverage, Wright admitted he was pleased with Liverpool’s result but refused to allow his allegiance to influence his assessment of the incident.
The former Arsenal striker was clear that he would have accepted a penalty decision against his old club, arguing that the officials should have awarded Liverpool the opportunity from the spot.
“VAR is wrong in this instance.
“Of course, it’s my team and I want them to win and I’m happy they’ve won it.
“But if they gave that penalty, I wouldn’t sit here and say, I can’t believe they gave that. I’d say I’m glad we got a point.”
Wright’s comments carry particular significance given his history with Arsenal. Despite his strong connection to the north London club, the former England international did not attempt to defend Timber or dismiss Liverpool’s penalty appeals.
His assessment also highlights the continuing debate around VAR consistency in the Premier League, especially when incidents involving shirt-pulling and holding occur inside the penalty area.
For Liverpool, the decision represented a potentially important moment in a fiercely contested fixture. For Arsenal, Timber’s involvement placed the defender under scrutiny, with Wright’s intervention adding another prominent voice to the discussion.
While VAR ultimately chose not to award a penalty, Wright believes the incident was clear enough to warrant a different outcome. His verdict was particularly striking because he was happy with Liverpool’s result but still maintained that the officials had made the wrong call.
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