Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg has revealed that he does not believe Everton should’ve been awarded a penalty against Arsenal, as he exclusively told Arsenal Insider.
The incident came just after the break in the match between Arsenal and Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday afternoon.
The Gunners had taken the lead in the match through Leandro Trossard, who showed his clinical edge with a strike on the counter-attack.
While Mikel Arteta made some changes at half-time, the match quickly turned once again as Myles Lewis-Skelly gave away a penalty.
The Arsenal defender was adjudged to have fouled Jack Harrison, with referee Darren England pointing to the spot.
Illiman Ndiaye put the spot kick into the back of the net, drawing Everton level and resulting in a draw come the end.
Arsenal fans may be frustrated, though, as a penalty perhaps shouldn’t have been awarded in the first place.
Mark Clattenburg says Everton shouldn’t have got a penalty against Arsenal
There were some mixed views as to whether Everton should’ve been awarded the penalty they received against Arsenal at Goodison Park.
Some argued that it was clumsy from Myles Lewis-Skelly, while others claimed that there wasn’t enough contact to cause the fall for the award.
Arsenal Insider spoke exclusively to former referee Mark Clattenburg about the incident to get the view of a former Premier League official.
He said on the penalty award: “I do not agree that the contact by [Myles] Lewis-Skelly on [Jack] Harrison makes a penalty.
“There is a duel for the ball between the two, and as Lewis Skelly falls, there is a small contact, but this does not make Harrison fall in this way.
“I would prefer VAR to interfere and recommend a review, but as the line of intervention is low in the Premier League, I was sure that the VAR would not change the decision.
“People will always be split on this decision, and the most important was the on-field decision of a penalty by referee [Darren] England, which I believe is soft and a penalty you would be happy to receive and angry to be against. The best decision is to play on.”
It’s a moment that will no doubt frustrate Arsenal fans, who will feel as though they could’ve won the game without such a key intervention.
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Arsenal fans react to penalty decision vs Everton
Arsenal fans were extremely frustrated on social media, taking to it to vent their frustrations over the decisions going against them.
“Never in a million years a pen. Joke,” one said, while another added: “The contact started a world away from the area?”
“lol embarrassing officiating,” one fan claimed.
Another criticised referee Darren England, who was involved in a bizarre moment with Ben White, claiming: “The ref Darren England has been a joke.”
Main parts of the frustration surrounded the lack of contact, with one supporter saying: “You won’t see many pens as soft as that. Understand it being given initially but var should be ruling that out!”
Another simply said: “That’s too soft to be a penalty. Harrison fouled MLS first.”
It feels like another decision that has gone against Arsenal, costing them yet more points in the Premier League.
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