According to a report by the Evening Standard on Sunday, November 1, 2026, Jurrien Timber looked to have pulled Alexander Isak's shirt inside the penalty area during Liverpool's Premier League match against Arsenal at Anfield during the first half. However, the decision to deny the penalty was met with controversy.

This happened in the 21st minute as Liverpool were trying to get back into the game after Arsenal took a 1-0 lead thanks to a goal by Kai Havertz.

Timber snatched Isak's shirt just inside the penalty area as he tried to connect with a teaser cross from a free kick. It seemed like the Arsenal defender's intervention was sufficient to prevent the Liverpool striker from making contact with the delivery, according to replays.

But Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola was taken aback by the referee's decision not to give a penalty. Dave Jones, a presenter for Sky Sports, later confirmed during halftime that the incident had been reviewed by VAR; however, the decision to not award Liverpool a penalty kick remained unchanged.

Several pundits from Sky Sports criticized the decision, asking why the officials did not step in to stop what looked like a shirt pull.

In his opinion, the video assistant referees erred; former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge said that Timber committed an egregious challenge and that Isak should have been awarded a penalty for a stronger shirt pull.

Ian Wright, a former forward for Arsenal, agreed that the decision was beneficial to his old team and insisted that Isak shouldn't have had to inflate the incident to get a penalty.

Wright expressed his relief that Arsenal were not penalized, explaining that the shirt pull was enough to stop the Swedish striker from touching the cross.

Isak was dragged back from close range and stopped from heading the ball, according to Jamie Carragher, a former Liverpool defender who was just as critical of the decision.

Carragher wanted to know why the striker was supposed to make the contact seem worse so the referees would notice the foul. Additionally, he strongly encouraged the VAR officials to fulfilll their duties accurately.

After a long 14-year drought, Arsenal finally broke their Premier League losing streak at Anfield with a 1-0 victory, thanks in large part to a goal by Havertz.