Match Officials Mic'd Up: Howard Webb reviews Martin Odegaard handball in Arsenal vs Liverpool

Plus: Howard Webb analyses why Luton's equaliser at Burnley was allowed to stand, Brighton's penalty against Spurs, Raul Jimenez's red card vs Newcastle and much more in the latest episode ofMatch Officials: Mic'd Up alongside former Liverpool and Man Utd striker Michael Owen

Tuesday 16 January 2024 20:29, UK

In the latest instalment of Match Officials: Mic'd Up, PGMOL chief Howard Webb explains why Liverpool were denied a penalty against Arsenal when Martin Odegaard handled the ball.

Liverpool appeal for a penalty after the ball hits the left arm of Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard inside the area, but the referee doesn't award a spot kick and the VAR agrees with the decision.

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Howard Webb: «The on-field referee recognised Odegaard had slipped and saw his arm go towards the ground. We've talked in the past about supporting arms if someone falls or breaks their fall with their arm, it's a pretty well-established concept.

»In this situation, though, there's an important difference to a normal player that's fallen. This is not just Odegaard accidentally falling onto the ball, his arm does go out but then he pulls his arm back in towards his body which is when the ball makes contact with his arm.

«The VAR looked at that aspect. He thought it was a case of Odegaard trying to make himself smaller by bringing his arm back to his body. That is the element that's important here. Whether it's instinctive or deliberate, he gets a huge advantage by bringing the arm back towards the ball.

»The feedback we got back afterwards was very clear, the game expects a penalty in this situation and I would agree. As such, this one did not reach the right outcome on that basis."

Burn