All eyes were on Chris Kavanagh as Marc Cucurella appeared to handle the ball in the penalty area against Arsenal.
The stakes were high in the London derby at the Emirates Stadium, with both Arsenal and Chelsea eager to earn three points.
While the Premier League title race is all but over, Mikel Arteta’s side must be wary of what’s behind them, with a top four finish not yet guaranteed.
On Sunday afternoon, Arsenal hosted Chelsea at the Emirates where early on, there was a loud shout for a penalty.
Premier League explain why Arsenal weren’t awarded a penalty vs Chelsea
Chris Kavanagh was the referee for Arsenal’s clash with Chelsea, giving the official a tough game to manage with the need for three points incredibly high.
It wasn’t long until the referee was called into action as in the early stages of the first half, Marc Cucurella appeared the handle the ball in the penalty box.
The incident unfolded as Jurrien Timber got the better of the Spaniard in the box, with the Chelsea defender then falling, with his arm clearly touching the ball.
There were great shouts for a penalty for Arsenal as the replays were shown but, VAR agreed with Kavanagh’s on-field decision of no penalty.
Following the clear up of the incident, the Premier League released a statement to explain why Cucurella was not found guilty of handling the ball.
“The referee’s call of no penalty for handball by Cucurella was checked and confirmed by VAR – with his arm deemed to be in an expected position with no clear or deliberate action towards the ball.”
The fullback was falling when he handled the ball, with the officials deeming his arm to be in a natural position at the time.
How many penalties have Arsenal been awarded this season?
Cucurella’s handball certainly split opinion, as some questioned the consistency of the punishment when comparing it to other incidents.
The Spaniard was fortunate on this occasion but, it might not have as a surprise to Arsenal, who haven’t won many penalties at all in the Premier League this season.
While the Gunners sit in the top of the league table, Arsenal are in the bottom three in the penalties received league table, being awarded only two so far.
Some believe Arteta’s side should’ve had their third penalty in the league this term against Chelsea but, Cucurella’s blushes were spared.
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