Leeds United: BBC Sport pundit expects PGMOL admission over Trent Alexander-Arnold in Liverpool win
Paul Robinson expects the PGMOL to come out and admit the first Liverpool goal against Leeds United shouldn’t have stood because of handball.
Trent Alexander-Arnold controlled the ball with his arm before going onto assist Cody Gakpo’s first-half opener on Monday night (17 April), then Mo Salah quickly doubling the lead at Elland Road with the home side still coming to terms with the fact that the first strike was given.
The Whites went on to capitulate for the second time in just over a week at home and lose 6-1, but Robinson expects the officiating body to be in communication over the decision-making around the Liverpool defender for the first goal.
Speaking on Radio 5 Live, as per the BBC Sport liveblog at 8.38pm, the former Whites keeper said: “It was a clear handball and when you watch it it’s a clear handball. Trent puts his arm out and hits it forward.
“It’s a great one-two around Firpo, which is an area they’ve targeted tonight. But it’s a clear handball.”
Then at 8.42 after the second goal went in he said: “I think most people in the stadium are still in shock that the first goal was given.
“It’s a great goal and a fantastic finish but it’s the first goal, the players were still talking about it. I’ll be amazed if we don’t hear from the PGMOL about the first goal.”
Overshadowed
If the game had ended 1-0 or even 2-0 there might have been a chance that Leeds United received a call from Howard Webb.
But after another complete collapse it may be that the rest of the performance has taken the heat off the decision, even though it arguably sparked the downfall.
Discussions around whether it was deliberate, whether it his arm was away from his body, or whether it was a separate phase of play came up at different times on the Sky Sports match broadcast, but on all three counts the logical conclusion was that it was an infringement.
He moved his arm towards the ball, he knocked it down into his path, and the Gakpo put it into the net from his cross six seconds later.
But while Brighton got an admission of guilt for the terrible officiating in their 2-1 defeat at Tottenham last week (8 April) they are challenging for European football, and rightly or wrongly it always seems to be easier to dismiss the complaints of strugglers.
And the Whites are very much that now after the 11 goals conceded in two games made their defensive record the worst in the league, and hugely damaged their goal-difference when just two points from the relegation zone.
In other Leeds United news, Jamie Carragher tore into “shocking” home players in his immediate reaction to the display against Liverpool.