Ex-Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg has given his verdict after Liverpool were denied a penalty in the first half of their 3-2 defeat to Brentford on Saturday
BRENTFORD, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 25: Arne Slot manager / head coach of Liverpool complains to fourth official Simon Hooper during the Premier League match between Brentford and Liverpool at Gtech Community Stadium on October 25, 2025 in Brentford, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
Arne Slot was furious with Simon Hooper's decision(Image: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
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Liverpool have been told that they were rightly denied a penalty against Brentford - and it was 'one of the best decisions this season'. That's according to former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg.
In the first half of Saturday's 3-2 defeat in London, Liverpool star Cody Gakpo went down under a challenge from Nathan Collins. Referee Simon Hooper waved away the visitors' appeals and moments later, Brentford made it 2-0.
Post-match, Arne Slot implied that 'every referee in the world' would've given Liverpool a penalty for Collins' challenge. But Clattenburg strongly disagrees.
"I have been a big critic of referees recently, but I want to praise Simon Hooper here," Clattenburg said on the Whistleblowers podcast. "There's a couple of things a referee is going to look at.
"First, is the defender's leg planted before any contact. The leg was already there. The second is to look at the attacker's arms. If you watch a school child fall in the playground, they automatically put out their arms out to protect themselves.
BRENTFORD, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 25: Referee Simon Hooper looks on as and waves away call for a penalty as Cody Gakpo of Liverpool goes down under pressure from Nathan Collins of Brentford during the Premier League match between Brentford and Liverpool at Gtech Community Stadium on October 25, 2025 in Brentford, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
BRENTFORD, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 25: Referee Simon Hooper looks on as and waves away call for a penalty as Cody Gakpo of Liverpool goes down under pressure from Nathan Collins of Brentford during the Premier League match between Brentford and Liverpool at Gtech Community Stadium on October 25, 2025 in Brentford, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
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"Watch Gakpo's reaction - his hands are in the air, and that tells me he's looking for the decision. He sees Collins' leg and anticipates it. That gives a top referee all the signs they need to play on.
"It's probably one of the best decisions I have seen this season. There's huge pressure, it's one of the biggest sides in the country. To make that decision in a split-second is incredible."
Clattenburg wasn't the only person to concur with the decision. Video assistant referee Chris Kavanagh checked Hooper's call and agreed no penalty.
Gakpo's fall, Clattenburg argued, had the 'tell-tale signs' of a dive, as he explained: "If you fall, your natural reaction is to put your arms out to protect yourself. If you don't put your hands up, you're going to hurt yourself. We're looking for natural reactions. That's a telltale sign."
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 26: Mark Clattenburg referees during "Baller League x Match Day 10" at Copperbox Arena on May 26, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Jordan Peck/Getty Images)
Mark Clattenburg has weighed in on the incident
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Another penalty decision went against Liverpool in the second half - this time from a different referee. Virgil van Dijk made contact with Brentford's Dango Ouattara on the edge of the penalty area and substitute referee Tim Robinson, who'd replaced Hooper at half-time because of an injury, initially awarded a free-kick.
However, VAR noticed that the challenge was made on the line. It meant that Van Dijk's foul was technically inside the 18-yard box and therefore a penalty, allowing Igor Thiago to make it 3-1.
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