Dermot Gallagher: Arsenal should have been awarded a penalty for Robert Sanchez’s challenge on Gabriel Jesus
Arsenal secured a 2-2 draw against Chelsea on Sunday after coming from two goals to nick a point in the closing stages of the game.
Goals from Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard in the 77th and 84th minutes, respectively, cancelled out the first-half goals from the hosts, but the Gunners felt they should have been awarded a penalty 15 minutes into the second-half.
Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez appeared to wipe out Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus as he attempted to punch the ball clear.
The Brazilian stayed down but the referee was unmoved, pointing for a goal kick.
However, former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher and Sky Sports pundits Sue Smith and Stephen Warnock believe the Gunners should have been awarded a penalty for Sanchez’s challenge on Jesus.
“Absolutely a penalty,” Smith said on Ref Watch.
“He completely clatters into Jesus. Absolutely no idea why this wasn’t given.”
Arsenal were unlucky not to have been awarded a penalty, and the fact that VAR did not intervene was baffling.
Officials behind the monitors in the VAR room have struggled for consistency this term and should have done better after that incident.
There is a limit to which goalies can lunge at players while challenging for aerial balls, and Sanchez was lucky not to have been penalised.
Fortunately for Arsenal, they quickly put the incident behind them to fight back and grab two late goals which could have a say on the final standings at the end of the season.
They return to action tomorrow with a trip to face Sevilla in their third Champions League group game of the campaign before resuming Premier League action on Saturday against Sheffield United at Emirates Stadium.
