Liverpool Manager Andoni Iraola Says Players Must Go Down to Win Penalties

Liverpool coach Andoni Iraola has stated that he will advise his players to go to ground when fouled in the penalty area, following a controversial penalty appeal during their recent 1-0 defeat against Arsenal. Liverpool was denied a first-half penalty after defender Jurrien Timber appeared to pull Alexander Isak's shirt as the striker attempted to reach a cross. Isak managed to stay on his feet despite the contact, while referee Andy Madley allowed play to continue.

Video assistant referee Stuart Attwell subsequently reviewed the incident but concluded that there was insufficient contact to overturn the initial on-field decision. However, Iraola strongly disagreed with the outcome, arguing that Isak's decision to stay upright ultimately cost his side a penalty kick. Speaking to the media after the match, the Liverpool manager remarked that if the forward had gone to the floor, the penalty would have been awarded without hesitation.

Elaborating on his tactical instructions moving forward, Iraola confirmed that he would explicitly tell his players to dive in similar situations if they want referees to penalize opponents. He expressed frustration that the current officiating dynamic penalizes honest players who try to remain upright, creating a cycle where footballers feel compelled to exaggerate contact to get decisions. Former Premier League officials noted that Timber took a significant risk with the shirt pull, though opinions remained divided on whether the holding was sustained enough to warrant a penalty.

The incident has reignited ongoing debates surrounding consistency in Premier League officiating and the treatment of attackers who choose not to go down under pressure. Liverpool experienced a second rejected penalty appeal later in the match when Cody Gakpo went down under pressure from an opponent. Iraola noted that receiving any retrospective apologies from refereeing authorities would do nothing to alter the result of the tightly contested fixture.

Source reporting: Punch — 2026-11-01 23:53:05