Arsenal beat Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield on Sunday, and the result mattered because it ended Arsenal’s long wait for a Premier League win at the ground and moved them clear at the top of the table. But the match’s lasting issue was a first-half penalty appeal involving Alexander Isak and Jurrien Timber that Liverpool believe should have changed the game.

Kai Havertz scored the decisive goal, while referee Andy Madley waved away Liverpool’s appeals over Timber’s shirt pull on Isak. VAR official Stuart Attwell did not overturn the decision, and Liverpool later had another penalty claim rejected when Cody Gakpo went down under pressure from Christos Tzolis.

Why the first-half decision took over the match

The Isak incident was the most disputed because the contact was visible, but BBC Sport reported that officials considered it too slight to merit a penalty. Isak stayed on his feet as Timber pulled his shirt while he tried to attack Bradley Barcola’s cross, and BBC Sport reported that the understanding was the tug was considered too slight and too brief to amount to sustained holding.

That difference is crucial in modern refereeing. If the contact is treated as a holding offence, it can be a penalty; if it is seen as minimal contact, play continues. Former Premier League assistant referee Darren Cann said Timber took a huge risk and that the incident could easily have been given on another day, while also pointing out that Isak did not even appeal.

The message Liverpool say they took from it

After the match, Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola said the lesson was that players may need to go to ground if they want decisions in similar situations. He said he would tell Isak to do that in future, even while praising the striker for trying to stay honest and reach the ball.

That view was echoed in stronger language by some of the former officials and pundits reviewing the incident. Dermot Gallagher and Tim Sherwood both said Timber had been fortunate not to concede a penalty, and former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy said Arsenal had got lucky at a pivotal moment. Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk also described the challenge as a clear penalty and said the decision had gone against his side despite the incident being visible on camera.

What Arsenal gained beyond three points

The result gave Arsenal their first Premier League win at Anfield since 2012, a benchmark that underlines how difficult the ground has been for them in recent years. It also sent them clear at the top of the Premier League, while the match drew attention for the officiating debate as well as Havertz’s goal.

For Liverpool, the practical consequence was not only defeat but a fresh argument about consistency in refereeing. Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola argued that the shirt pull on Isak should have been punished, and Iraola said the lesson for attackers was that if they stay upright, they may not get the decision.