Andoni Iraola says he will instruct Alexander Isak and the rest of his squad to make more of a fuss the next time they are impeded, as it appears to be the only way to get a decision.
One of the biggest talking points from the 1-0 defeat to Arsenal was the clear oversight by the referee and VAR on Jurrien Timber’s shirt pull on Isak.
It stopped the Liverpool striker from attacking the ball, and a clear penalty – to everyone but the officials, it seems.
Iraola did not lay the blame for the result at the (non) whistle of the referee, but his assessment of the situation summed up the ludicrousness of players needing to flail to be seen.
“The ball just goes one centimetre in front of Alex,” he told Sky Sports. “Alex is going to hit the ball in front of the goal.
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“So because he doesn’t go to the floor, you are not going to call the penalty? I don’t understand it.”
On whether Isak needed to go down, he added sternly: “That’s the problem we have with the game, that because he doesn’t dive and go to the floor [he doesn’t get the decision].
“The fact that you are even asking me that he should have gone to the floor, that’s the thing. If he goes to the floor, they call the penalty for me. They call the penalty 100 percent.
“Should it be like this? No. But it is what it is.
“And next time, now the manager should tell Alex, ‘next time you arrive to the goal, you have to go to the floor, otherwise they don’t call it’.”
In his post-match press conference, he was asked if the incident means his players have to be ‘smarter’ in such incidents.
“It’s a shame you ask me this question, but honestly, yes,” he replied.
“We have to tell them to go down because they are not going to call it otherwise, and then referees complain why they don’t go down because if you don’t go down, then you don’t call it.”
Van dijk (1)
Van dijk (1)
Football – FA Premier League – Liverpool FC v Brighton & Hove Albion FC
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, November 1, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Andoni Iraola applauds the supporters after the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Arsenal FC at Anfield. Liverpool lost 1-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Football – FA Premier League – Liverpool FC v Brighton & Hove Albion FC
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, November 1, 2026: Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai and Arsenal's captain Martin Ødegaard (R) during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Arsenal FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)