Arsenal fan Andy Murray insists Saliba had a 'totally natural jumping position'

Former world No 1 Andy Murray has waded into the handball row during Arsenal's 2-2 draw with Chelsea on Saturday.

The London derby at Stamford Bridge was mired in controversy when, at 0-0, Arsenal centre back William Saliba was adjudged to have deliberately handled the ball.

Mykhailo Mudryk connected with a header and it was heading towards goal when it hit Saliba's arm.

Action continued before VAR intervened and Chelsea were awarded a penalty, which Cole Palmer scored to make it 1-0.

Tennis star Murray, who is a self-confessed Arsenal fan, was left scratching his head with the decision.

'If you watch a replay and just look at mudryk arms when he jumps they make exactly the same movement as Saliba… both totally natural jumping positions,' he posted on X, in response to an image of the incident.

It was a VAR decision that was widely panned, with Gary Neville and Match of the Day host Gary Lineker among those voicing their criticism.

Neville, who commentated on the match for Sky Sports, said: 'It hits William Saliba's arm, there is no doubt about that. I think he could be in a little bit of bother here.

'Coming off the back of the Everton game earlier [vs Liverpool], I would say this is going to be given I would say.

'This is all about whether Saliba's arm is there because he is trying to win the ball - it's certainly above, out and away from his body. Is he just using that arm for leverage or to gain an advantage? The fact is it doesn't matter.

'None of us are sure what a penalty is anymore but that is consistent with what we saw in the Merseyside derby today.'

Lineker was also dismayed at the call, posting on X: 'The handball law is utterly ludicrous.'

Even former Chelsea captain John Terry was left accepting that it was the wrong