Liverpool fans are fuming after referee Andy Madley laughed and joked with Arsenal's stars at half-time of their clash on Sunday – having denied them a penalty.

The Gunners claimed their first victory at Anfield since September 2012 thanks to Kai Havertz's goal, with the win sending Mikel Arteta's side three points clear of Manchester City. 

But Reds supporters came away fuming after being denied a seeming stonewall penalty in the first half when Jurrien Timber tugged back Alexander Isak.

Isak had a golden chance to equalise when he rose to meet Bradley Barcola's cross, only to miss the ball after having his shirt pulled by Timber. 

The Arsenal defender avoided punishment from Madley and VAR decided against intervening despite the vehement protests of Andoni Iraola and his players. 

It was therefore extra galling for Liverpool fans to see the referee appearing to tell a joke to Gabriel, Riccardo Calafiori, and Declan Rice at half-time – though of course the encounter could have been entirely innocent. 

Part of refereeing, after all, is maintaining a relationship with players. 

But for Liverpool it is another twist of the knife after a painful defeat which saw them fail to score from 18 shots and left them fifth in the Premier League.

'This referee clearly had a favourite. Liverpool got robbed in broad daylight,' one fan said on X.

'At any level of the game from Sunday pub league to Premier League, referees shouldn't be laughing and joking and high-fiving players on any side. They should turn up, ref neutrally, go home,' another said.

'He should not ref any more Arsenal games,' one added. 

There is no evidence that Madley is biased towards the Premier League champions.  

Sky Sports pundits Jamie Carragher, Daniel Sturridge and Ian Wright unanimously agreed Liverpool should have been awarded a penalty at half-time and suggested that Isak was denied the spot-kick because he failed to make more of the incident.

Iraola thinks the game could have gone differently had Madley not missed Timber's shirt pull.

The Liverpool boss said after the match: ‘There are two situations and they are a little bit related. The Isak one is a clear penalty.

‘He's gonna 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.'

Iraola also pointed to a similar situation where Cody Gakpo was tugged back, but the officials said the Dutchman would not get to the ball.

‘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?’ added Iraola. ‘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.’

Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, the manager said: 'It's a problem we have with the game. Because he doesn't dive and go to the floor. The fact that you are even asking me if he should go to the floor, if he goes to the floor, they call the penalty 100 per cent.

'It should be like this but it is what it is. Next time, the managers should tell Alex to go to the floor, otherwise they won't call it.'

Asked if he will tell Isak to do that in future, the Spaniard replied: 'Yes, definitely.'

Reds captain Virgil van Dijk took aim at VAR too after the match, expressing his disappointment at the defeat.

'I think it was a clear penalty. I've seen it back and I've seen it being given. Today it wasn't meant to be,' he said.

Asked if Isak should have reacted more, the Dutchman added: 'We have 50 cameras. Why does he have to complain when there are so many cameras?

'Everyone has seen it. In the end it wasn't given and we lose the game unfortunately, so well done to Arsenal.'

Former Liverpool defender Carragher was furious that VAR had not intervened as he analysed the incident at half-time.

'One of the best goal-scorers in the league is pulled back seven yards from goal, and the pull back stops him heading the ball. Why does he need to make a meal of it? VAR, do your job,' he said bluntly.

Arsenal moved to the top of the table on 24 points with victory at Anfield, while Liverpool remained fifth after Brighton and Chelsea, who are third and fourth respectively, both won on Saturday.

Mikel Arteta hailed his side’s resilience to win at Anfield.

Asked if it feels better to do so as a player or manager, he said: ‘Now it feels better as a manager, it has been such a long time without this feeling. We are extremely proud, especially the conditions we arrived in after the defeat against Fleetwood looked like the end of the world.

‘But then you have to pick yourself up. Four days later you have to come to Anfield against this manager and this team.’