Iraola says he will instruct his Liverpool players to ‘go down’ in future after Isak is denied penalty

Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola has said that in future he will instruct his players to “go down” in future after being denied a penalty against Arsenal.

The Gunners recorded their first Premier League victory at Anfield in 14 years. However, Iraola believes his side deserved a penalty in the first half when Alexander Isak’s shirt was pulled back.

“I think the Isak one is a clear penalty,” insisted the Liverpool boss. “He’s going to head the ball in front of the goal. They grab him where everyone sees the shirt. You don’t need a lot just to affect Alex because the ball goes just in front of him.

“I don’t see the reason why. Probably because he doesn’t dive or he doesn’t go to the floor. It shouldn’t be a reason not to consider a penalty.”

He continued: “And then after the Gakpo one, I think it’s a sustained holding.

“But I understand their argument and I think they are right that they say the ball was too long and Cody wouldn’t have arrived to the ball.

“But then you are basically accepting that the first one is a pen. So you cannot use the argument in both ways differently. So I think it’s a pen the Alex one is.”

Asked if he will instruct his players to go down in future, Iraola admitted: “It’s a shame you ask me this question. But honestly, yes, we have to tell them to go down because they are not going to call it otherwise.

“And then the referees complain why they go down. Because if you don’t go down, you don’t call it.”