Andoni Iraola reacts to the decision not to award Liverpool a penalty for a shirt pull on Alexander Isak in their 1-0 loss to Arsenal at Anfield

Andoni Iraola admitted he will tell his Liverpool players to go down more after they were denied what he felt was a clear penalty in their narrow 1-0 defeat to Arsenal on Sunday.

Kai Havertz’s early opener was the difference at Anfield but Liverpool were left to rue a number of contentious refereeing decisions.

Cody Gakpo and Alexis Mac Allister both saw penalty appeals waved away while Alexander Isak was pulled back by Jurrien Timber when trying to connect with a Bradley Barcola cross as the Reds tried in vain to find an equaliser.

And while Iraola could understand why his side were not awarded a penalty for the incident involving Gakpo, he could not hide his frustration at the lack of a spot-kick for the pull on Isak.

“I think there are two situations and they are a little bit related,” said the Liverpool head coach. “I think the Isak one is a clear penalty. He's going to head the ball in front of the goal, and they grab him where everyone sees the shirt.

“You don't need a lot, just to avoid Alex, because the ball just goes in front of him, and I don't see the reason why, probably because he doesn't dive or he doesn't go to the floor. It shouldn't be a reason not to concede a penalty.

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“And then after that the Gakpo one, I think it's a sustained holding, but I understand their argument and I think they are right that they say the ball was too long and Cody wouldn't have arrived to the ball.

“But then you're basically accepting that the first one is, is a pen, no? So you cannot use the argument in both ways differently. So I think it's a, yes, it's a pen, the Alex one is..

“It's not going to change anything if we talk to the PGMOL or not. I think we have to wait now, I think it's 10 days or 12 days until they give the resolution.

“It's going to be what it is and that's it, accept it and let's go for the next one, no? It's not going to change.”

Iraola also conceded his players might have to be more savvy in the future following contact in the future but pointed out how going down more could count against them too.

“It's a shame you ask me this question, but honestly, yes, we have to tell them, go down,” he said. “Because they're not going to call it otherwise. And then referees complain why they go down.

“Because if you don't go down, you don't call it. Then it's like: ‘No, you are all the time going down’.

“But I think Alex is honest. He tries to go for the ball, everyone can see live straight away there is a clear, clear pull.

“And even Cody in the, in the second one, but I understand the explanation that they give in the second one.”