Martin Keown claims Arsenal have been ‘hard done by’ after Inter Milan awarded controversial penalty as Gunners legend claims handball rule is ‘ruining the game’
- Arsenal fell behind at the San Siro after Inter Milan were awarded a penalty
- Mikel Merino was penalized for a handball in the penalty area after tapping the ball
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Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown has claimed handball rules are ‘ruining the game’ after the Gunners were awarded a controversial penalty against Inter Milan in the Champions League.
Mikel Arteta’s team seemed to go into halftime goalless at the San Siro against the reigning Italian champions.
Inter had the chance to take the lead in first-half stoppage time when Mikel Merino was judged to have acted in the penalty area.
Referee Istvan Kovacs pointed to the spot after Inter striker Mehdi Taremi’s free kick hit Merino’s hand from close range.
Speaking to TNT Sports, Keown suggested Arsenal had come under heavy pressure and claimed the handball rule risks ruining the game.
Arsenal’s Mikel Merino is said to have handled the ball from close range in the penalty area
Hakan Calhanoglu converted from the spot to give Inter Milan the lead at San Siro
Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown suggested handball rule ‘ruined the game’
‘Is the arm in an unnatural position? It certainly isn’t,” Keown said.
;I don’t know who decides that, but the referee gave it and the VAR will never intervene.
‘I think it’s ruining our game, to be honest, Arsenal are really struggling with it.’
However, fellow expert Rio Ferdinand noted that UEFA competitions follow different interpretations of the handball rule than in the Premier League.
“It’s a shame that the rules in competitions are different,” Ferdinand said. “It’s confusing for fans and pundits.”
Manchester City were similarly awarded a penalty against Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday evening, when defender Ousmane Diomande was judged to have blocked a shot with his arm.
Arsenal were awarded a penalty in their last Champions League match against Shakhtar Donetsk when a cross hit the outstretched arm of a defender.
The Premier League has revealed it will be taking a different approach to handball ahead of this season.
“Last season we saw some soft penalties for handball, so if it’s a clear directional movement of the ball from the foot to the hand, we’re not going to penalize that,” former referee Kevin Friend revealed ahead of the season.
‘We’re actually looking for examples where it’s clearly unfair to hit the arm, with the hands above the head, away from the body, to deliberately prevent the ball from going into the penalty area or goal.’
Sporting Lisbon felt disadvantaged by a similar handball decision on Tuesday evening
Arsenal were awarded a penalty against Shakhtar Donetsk after a cross hit a defender’s hand
Former Arsenal defender Matthew Upson claimed the Premier League is ‘miles ahead’ in enforcing the handball law.
“It’s a crazy decision for the referee to award a penalty for that,” Upson said on BBC Radio 5 Live
‘It hurts me how they apply that law in Europe.
‘We are miles ahead of that in the Premier League, the referees understand proximity, the speed of the ball and all those things were tick, tick.
“It’s just a bit of common sense.”
