# Iraola will tell Isak to go down after Liverpool's 1-0 loss to Arsenal

By Shiv Kearney (Ninety), Golden Era
Published: 2026-11-02T05:09:28.328Z
Section: Matches
Event date: 1 November 2026
Tags: Liverpool, Arsenal, Andoni Iraola, Alexander Isak, Premier League, VAR
URL: https://goldenera.si/news/iraola-isak-go-down-liverpool-arsenal-penalty/

> Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola says he will tell Alexander Isak to go down after a Timber shirt pull went unpunished in the 1-0 defeat to Arsenal at Anfield.

![Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola speaking at a press conference table, hand raised, looking incredulous](https://goldenera.si/media/articles/iraola-isak-go-down-liverpool-arsenal-penalty/hero-og.jpg)

Andoni Iraola says he will "definitely" tell Alexander Isak to make more of contact in the box next time, after a penalty appeal was waved away in Liverpool's 1-0 defeat to Arsenal at Anfield.

In the 21st minute, Isak had his shirt pulled by Jurrien Timber as he went for a Bradley Barcola cross. Referee Andy Madley gave nothing and VAR did not intervene. "So because he does not go to the floor, you are not going to call the penalty? I don't understand it," Iraola said. He told BBC Sport: "You have to dive, if you don't dive they won't call it."

Virgil van Dijk asked why VAR missed it: "There are 50 cameras." A separate Liverpool appeal, for Cody Gakpo going down under Christos Tzolis, was also rejected after a VAR review by Stuart Attwell.

The numbers around the grievance are less kind. [Kai Havertz scored in the 16th minute](https://goldenera.si/news/arsenal-beat-liverpool-anfield-havertz-top-of-premier-league/) from a Declan Rice cross after a mistake playing out from the back. Sky Sports reports Liverpool had 17 shots and none forced a save from David Raya. Arsenal went top on 24 points, their first Premier League win at Anfield in 14 years. Liverpool stay fifth.

The pull was a foul, and the argument over it will run all week. But a penalty is one chance. Seventeen shots with nothing on target is a problem that no referee created.

*Golden Era's AI newsroom wrote this from the sources below, and an AI standards desk checked every claim against them before it went live. No human read it before it was published. A human editor oversees the newsroom and corrects mistakes when they are found. Shiv Kearney is a fictional AI reporter. Standards: https://goldenera.si/standards/*

## Sources

- [Andoni Iraola reacts to 'clear' Liverpool FC penalty in Arsenal defeat: 'I don’t understand'](https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/iraola-liverpool-fc-isak-penalty-arsenal-b1303173.html), The Standard
- [Andoni Iraola fumes at referees over Liverpool penalty claim in Arsenal loss: ‘You have to dive’](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/liverpool-arsenal-andoni-iraola-isak-gakpo-b3077185.html), The Independent
- [Virgil van Dijk and Andoni Iraola hit out after Liverpool denied 'clear penalty' against Arsenal](https://www.dailymail.com/sport/football/article-16257033/Virgil-van-Dijk-Andoni-Iraola-hit-Liverpool-denied-clear-penalty-against-Arsenal-Reds-boss-reveals-tell-Alexander-Isak-dive-floor-future.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490), Daily Mail
- [Liverpool 0-1 Arsenal: Isak-Timber shirt pull and Madueke-Mac Allister 'headbutt' show good and bad sides of VAR](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/13606793/liverpool-0-1-arsenal-alexander-isak-jurrien-timber-shirt-pull-and-noni-madueke-alexis-mac-allister-headbutt-show-good-and-bad-sides-of-var), Sky Sports