Klopp Angry Over Odegaard Handball Decision in Arsenal Draw

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp expressed his eagerness for an explanation regarding the non-punishment of Martin Odegaard’s clear handball in the 1-1 draw against Arsenal on Saturday.

In the first half, Odegaard slipped in the box while defending Mohamed Salah, using his arm to control the ball and move it away from the Egyptian.

Referee Chris Kavanagh deferred any decision on the field, opting for a VAR check, which concluded without objections. Kavanagh was not prompted to review the decision.

Klopp, speaking to Sky Sports post-match, said, “Yes, I have seen it. I am pretty sure someone will come to explain it to me why it was not a handball, but I don’t know how? I don’t say that the ref can see it because I don’t know where he was in that moment. But how can a guy in an office see that and not come to the conclusion that maybe, possibly it could be worth the referee having another look?”

Klopp characterized the overall game as a “positive reality check” for his team, highlighting that the match demonstrated Liverpool’s ability to compete with top teams in the Premier League.

“They are a really good side, and we tried to keep it tight, but in one moment, if you give space, they are there to take advantage,” Klopp commented on Arsenal. “Still, it ends 1-1 and a point against a good side. They have quality, and you cannot defend that all the time. When we got more momentum, we knew we could not play like that for 90+ minutes, so we had to switch it up a bit.

“I’m not sure if you can use ‘reality check’ in a positive way, but if you are not sure where we belong in the table, that result shows that up there is where we belong. Now we have to go forward from here.”