Virgil van Dijk was left fuming after Liverpool were denied a first-half penalty for a shirt pull on Alexander Isak in their 1-0 defeat to Arsenal at Anfield on Sunday. The Dutchman questioned why a striker should need to protest with so many cameras on the pitch, after Kai Havertz's early strike proved enough to send the Gunners three points clear at the top.
[Liverpool felt they should have had a spot-kick](https://www.goal.com/en/news/premier-league-explain-why-noni-madueke-avoided-red-card-apparent-headbutt-alexis-mac-allister-anfield/blt65b6b90f7e94805a) when Jurrien Timber held Isak's shirt as a cross flashed across the box, but neither referee Andy Madley nor VAR intervened. Speaking to Sky Sports, as reported by the Express, Van Dijk said: "I think it was a clear penalty. I've seen it back and I've seen it being given. Today it wasn't meant to be."
Asked if Isak should have reacted more to convince the referee, Van Dijk replied: "We have 50 cameras. Why does he have to complain when there are so many cameras? Everyone has seen it. In the end it wasn't given and we lose the game unfortunately, so well done to Arsenal."
### Liverpool rue missed chances
Van Dijk admitted Liverpool, who had Florian Wirtz hit the bar and Alexis Mac Allister head over a free chance before the break, could have done more in the final third: "Disappointed. We play at home, we had some opportunities. We tried everything. We could have done a bit better in the last 15 minutes to get more balls in the box."
He continued: "It wasn't enough today and that's why disappointment is the feeling I'm having. When we conceded we played much better. Alexis could have changed the game."
### Iraola backs Van Dijk on penalty
[Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola](https://www.goal.com/en/news/andoni-iraola-fumes-denied-penalty-arsenal-liverpool/bltd12618320b4c44f8) was equally adamant about the Isak incident: "It was a clear penalty. You hold the shirt, we can all see that he holds the shirt. The ball just goes one centimetre in front of Alex. Alex is going to hit the ball in front of the goal. 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 per cent."
The Spaniard also pointed to the mistake from a goal kick that led to Havertz's winner: "We still have a lot of things to improve. I think we have things that I love in the team, in terms of the willingness and the spirit. I think there is something that I like in this team, but today we messed up a goal kick, we concede from there, things that we definitely need to improve."
### What's next for Liverpool?
The defeat ended Liverpool's five-game winning run in all competitions, leaving Iraola with plenty to address before their next outing.
The Reds must now regroup quickly, with a Champions League trip to Fenerbahce on Wednesday.
Working as a football journalist was my first childhood dream. I became a journalist and a member of the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate, but covering topics far from the world of sports until the opportunity came in early 2020 when I joined Kooora, and then GOAL.
My memories with football began with Zinedine Zidane's historic triumph in the 1998 World Cup and France's unforgettable win over Brazil in the final, along with the Egyptian league matches and the rivalry between Al Ahly, Zamalek, and Ismaily during that era.
I don't support a specific team in Europe, but I enjoyed watching Milan with "Maldini, Gattuso, Kaka, Pirlo" and was amazed by Barcelona with "Busquets, Iniesta, Xavi, Neymar, Villa, Messi, Suarez", before following Mohamed Salah in his exceptional career with Fiorentina, Roma, and Liverpool.
My unforgettable sports moment was Mohamed Aboutrika's goal in Al Ahly's victory over Sfaxien in the 2006 CAF Champions League final.
**My ideal lineup:** Buffon; Cafu - Van Dijk - Maldini - Roberto Carlos; Pirlo - Zidane - Iniesta - Kaka; Cristiano Ronaldo - Messi