Journalist Matt Davies-Adams has recently discussed the decision to award a penalty against Tottenham in the recent North London derby.
This came after Davies-Adams appeared as a guest on the latest episode of the Totally Football Show podcast and the panel discussed multiple issues involving the Premier League weekend. One topic of debate was the North London derby that Arsenal won and Davies-Adams talked about whether the referee was right to give a penalty to Arsenal in the second half.
While Arsenal did win 2-1 at the Emirates, they were handed a penalty in the second half when Davinson Sanchez brought down Alexandre Lacazette inside the box. The Frenchman had slotted the spot-kick home to complete a come back for the Gunners (as per the Mirror).
Was Mourinho right to criticise Michael Oliver?
Yes
No
After the game, Jose Mourinho criticised Michael Oliver for handing Arsenal a penalty, saying that maybe the official got tired in the game.
Davies-Adams talked about the incident, saying that going by the law, it was a penalty. The journalist said (8:23): “It’s one of those I think probably by the letter of the law, it is a penalty, but I just think that that’s so lucky for Lacazette because he’s hit the worst shot he could possibly have hit in that position, and he’s ended up getting the best outcome you could ever have imagined. The ball was going a long way wide of the goal.”
TIF Thoughts on the penalty call…
After the game, even Jamie Redknapp said that it wasn’t a penalty and even though Sanchez did clatter into Lacazette, the decision was made as it was deemed reckless by the officials. Michael Dawson also expressed doubt about whether it was a penalty or not (As per Sky Sports).
Lacazette himself made it clear after the game that Arsenal were ‘lucky’ to have a penalty and have a decision go their way.
So perhaps, Mourinho was right to talk about it and criticise Oliver for it. But now that the dust has settled, Spurs are six points behind fourth-placed Chelsea and they are, perhaps, still in the race for Champions League football.