It was not pretty, but Martin Odegaard's goal was enough to secure a 1-0 win that sends Arsenal into the international break as Premier League leaders. It was Arsenal's 34th 1-0 win under Mikel Arteta, matching their best start to a Premier League season under the Spaniard, with 27 points earned after 10 games in 2022-23. No team has enjoyed more 1-0 wins since Arteta was appointed in 2019, and the Gunners have won their past 10 home games in all competitions, keeping eight clean sheets in that time.
Odegaard's goal, bundled home from close range, may have been a relief to those at Pro Ref too. A controversial video assistant referee (VAR) decision threatened to dominate the story. Referee Farai Hallam was sent to the pitchside monitor after a shirt pull by Nobel Mendy on Kai Havertz, and the crowd expected a penalty. Instead, the referee pivoted to an offside call against Havertz, and play restarted with a free-kick to Hull. The irony was not lost on Liverpool fans, who were denied a VAR penalty for a similar shirt pull last weekend when Arsenal's Jurrien Timber tugged back Alexander Isak.
The weekend had already been full of video review debate. Coventry City were denied a clear penalty against Everton for a hair pull by James Tarkowski, and Everton's Thierno Barry scored with a ball that appeared to come off his hand. Leeds and Tottenham also clashed over a possible handball and a potential red card for Jayden Bogle's challenge on Mathys Tel, which VAR judged lacked enough force.
The Havertz decision raised a complex question of law. If an offside player is fouled before attempting to play the ball, the foul is typically considered to come first. Past cases, including Harry Kane's penalty in 2019 and Newcastle's spot-kick against Bournemouth, show how inconsistently such situations have been judged.
Source: BBC Sport Football · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing