Arsenal beat Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield. After a second-half confrontation that went to VAR, Noni Madueke said Alexis Mac Allister had tried to bait him into getting sent off.
The result at Anfield
Arsenal secured a 1-0 victory over Liverpool at Anfield. GOAL said it was Arsenal's first triumph at the stadium in 14 years.
GOAL said Arsenal's win came courtesy of a record-breaking Kai Havertz strike.
The second-half confrontation
GOAL said there was a major second-half scuffle. GOAL said the confrontation came after Alexis Mac Allister struck a grounded Martin Odegaard.
GOAL said Jurrien Timber and Noni Madueke rushed in to confront Mac Allister. GOAL said Madueke and Mac Allister's heads touched slightly, and said Mac Allister then threw himself to the ground, attempting to win a dismissal.
Referee Andy Madley opted against a red card, and VAR Stuart Attwell validated the decision not to give a red card.
Madueke's comments
Speaking to former Arsenal winger Freddie Ljungberg on Viaplay, when asked if he planned to swap shirts with the Argentine, Madueke said: "I wish I did."
Addressing the incident, Madueke said: "I don’t think it’s anything whether it's a yellow card or a red card."
He added: "The referee didn’t think that. VAR didn’t think that. So we all agreed there."
Madueke also said: "It's a natural movement."
He added: "He's obviously clever, he tried to bait me into getting a red card there, but obviously not."
Madueke said: "In my head I was thinking 'Oh, it's possible with VAR; it's about whoever interprets it. I don't know what they're thinking. But thankfully it wasn't.'"
Other reaction and Arsenal's schedule
Jamie Carragher said: "I'm delighted he didn't get sent off there."
He added: "We have really got to be strong and start calling people out and say 'this is embarrassing'. I'm a Liverpool fan and it's a joke from Mac Allister, it's got to stop."
Arsenal will travel to face Slavia Prague in their next European fixture. After that trip, Arsenal host Hull.
GOAL said Bukayo Saka was still in the treatment room.
