Roy Hodgson questions Arsenal penalty decision in Crystal Palace defeat

Arsenal continued their winning start to the season with a narrow 1-0 victory at Selhurst Park on Monday night, despite going down to 10-men in the closing stages after Takehiro Tomiyasu was shown two yellow cards just a few minutes apart.

Their goal came courtesy of Martin Odegaard from the spot after Eddie Nketiah was bought down by goalkeeper Sam Johnstone after their quick free-kick caught out Crystal Palace’s defence.

There was a quick VAR check before the penalty was taken however, after replays showed that Thomas Partey had blocked off and then tripped Marc Guehi who was attempting to get back and stop Nketiah.

The officials stuck with the referee’s original decision, much to the annoyance of the Eagles’ manager Roy Hodgson, who suggested that Arsenal’s penalty shouldn’t have been awarded because of a foul in the build-up.

Roy Hodgson’s comments on the penalty decision

Hodgson said post-match: ‘I think the penalty was a harsh decision in the sense of the block on the player who was doing the job of defending that position. He couldn’t get there because he was blocked, so that gave them that opening. Obviously the referee and VAR thought differently.

‘I think when players are blocked off, as they so often are at corner kicks and those situations, you just have to rely on the referee to see them. There’s a block there that’s not allowed in the rules of the game.

‘It is not totally a case of switching off but you have to give credit to the Arsenal quick thinking and the quality of the pass, but that is why they are where they are.’

Mikel Arteta’s reaction to the penalty decision

Palace supporters were further incensed later on in the game when David Coote didn’t point to the spot after Eberechi Eze appeared to be fouled in the box by Partey and Declan Rice.

The Gunners were also unhappy with some of the officiating, predominantly because of Tomiyasu’s sending off, with the first of his yellows shown because of timewasting at a throw-in.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta fumed at the decision, and Hodgson showed some sympathy for his counterpart, adding: ‘It is what it is, as I have said before the rules and ideas we don’t have too much to say on the matter and we have to learn to live with them.

Up next for Arsenal and Crystal Palace

Up next for Palace is a trip to Brentford on Saturday, while Arsenal host another London derby against Fulham at the same time.

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