Why Arsenal’s crucial goal to take lead vs Southampton should NOT have stood, according to ex-Premier League referee

FORMER Premier League ref Mark Halsey believes Arsenal’s crucial goal in the 3-1 win over Southampton should NOT have stood.

The official, who spent 14 years in the top-flight, reckons VAR has done Mikel Arteta’s side a huge favour for the second week running.

Premier League

Merino (No23) is offside as he makes an attempt to play the ball before Gabriel Martinelli (No11) scores[/caption]

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The goal proved crucial as the Gunners picked up three points[/caption]

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Mark Halsey was a Premier League ref for 14 years[/caption]

Halsey felt the Gunners were lucky to still have 11 players on the pitch last Saturday when Riccardo Calafiori made a cynical foul while on a booking in the 4-2 win over Leicester.

And this week they appeared to get fortunate again with the decisions again.

Arsenal were being held 1-1 by Southampton when Gabriel Martinelli put the hosts in front with a finish from a cross at the back post.

The ball fell to him after Mikel Merino tried to head it at goal – only to not make contact with the ball.

He is in an offside position when he leaps for the cross and seemingly impacts the play.

Yet VAR did not chalk it off – despite a similar incident seeing Bournemouth have a goal ruled out on the same day.

Halsey told SunSport‘s The Whistleblower show: “I thought it was offside because you are offside if you challenge an opponent for the ball or clearly attempt to play a ball which is close when the action impacts on an opponent.

“This is making an obvious action which clearly impacts the ability of an opponent to play the ball.

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“So if you’re looking at offside, technically he was offside because he did challenge for the ball and then ducked his head.

“It clearly impacted on Aaron Ramsdale because like you say, he thinks Merino is going to win the ball.

“But he ducks at the last moment and then leaves it for Martinelli.

“So for me, I think that should have been disallowed, that goal, because it was clearly offside.

“He clearly made an attempt to play the ball.

“It is inconsistencies again. It is a massive moment in the game.

“For Southampton, they’re struggling at the moment coming up from the Championship and who knows?”

It was not the only controversial decision of the week as Crystal Palace felt their should have had a penalty against Liverpool.

Virgil van Dijk appeared to pull Marc Guehi to the deck from a corner, with Halsey convinced the ref should have pointed the spot.

He explained: “I thought it was a clear penalty.

“Simon Hooper, did he have a good viewing angle? Was he blocked by some of the players? But that is what VAR is there for. For me, I thought it was a clear holding offence.

“VAR’s David Coote should have come in on that and recommended a review.”

Watch the full episode of The Whistleblower at the top of this article – where Halsey fumes over the laws of the game.

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Palace felt they should have had a penalty for Virgil van Dijk’s tug on Marc Guehi[/caption]