Former Arsenal star Ian Wright has disagreed with fellow pundit and ex-Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer over a contentious penalty decision in the clash between the two sides. Referee Chris Kavanagh had pointed to the spot early in the first half after a Bruno Guimaraes shot appeared to strike an arm on the way towards the goal.
The decision had incensed some of the Arsenal players as Jakub Kiwior pleaded his innocence in the whole ordeal as it was he who was penalised. After a lengthy VAR check, Kavanagh was directed to have another look at the incident, taking him to the monitor on the side of the pitch.
After watching it back a few times, it was judged that the ball had struck Kiwior on the thigh first, with his hand moving behind it instead. The penalty was then overturned, with the Gunners eventually going on to win the clash 2-0 in a fiery encounter between the sides.
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For Shearer, the decision wasn't clear and obvious, saying on Premier League productions: "The referee has given the penalty and then obviously he's been told to go to the screen by Michael Salisbury [the Video Assistant Referee]. He feels as if that has hit his [Jakub Kiwior] leg first.
"Now I don't [think it should be overturned. I've looked at it six or seven times and I can't tell you for certain that's hit his leg first. I'd be fascinated to hear what Dermot says because if that's taken the referee seven replays to look at then it's not clear and obvious, which it has to be to be an overturn, to be an absolute howler.
"I just don't see it, I keep watching it and watching it and waiting for someone to tell me it's definitely hit his leg and I can't see it."
Wright hit back at the claim, saying: "When I look at, I know people will say 'oh it's Arsenal'. When you look at that, the reason why you're as vexed as you are Al [Alan Shearer] is because that looks to me like it has hit the top of his thigh. Why are they look at this so many times? That's the problem.
"They [the referees] don't need to look at it so many times. You can see that Kiwior's arm has gone down." When asked if he was happy it's clear and obvious that it didn't striker the hand, Wright exclaimed: "Of course I am! Course I am, I'm totally happy with it, but they've looked at it too long."
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