Gary Neville has been left confused after Arsenal were awarded a first-half penalty against Manchester City on Wednesday night.
This is the game everybody has been looking forward to for weeks now.
The Premier League’s top two finally lock horns for the first time this season with the title up for grabs.
Tonight’s game may not decide the title race but it will certainly alter the momentum one way or another.
City took the lead through Kevin De Bruyne as the Belgian midfielder lofted a stunning shot over Aaron Ramsdale from a Takehiro Tomiyasu mistake.
This was a big test of Arsenal’s character and they did at least go into half-time level – but not without a little controversy.
Gary Neville baffled as Arsenal win penalty against Manchester City
With half time approaching, Eddie Nketiah got himself in on goal down the left side of City’s box.
Nketiah flicked a shot towards goal, which Nathan Ake was able to clear off the line – only for Anthony Taylor to point to the spot.
Taylor determined that City goalkeeper Ederson had fouled Nketiah in the process of his taking his shot at goal, giving Arsenal a penalty as a result.
Bukayo Saka stepped up from the spot and was coolness personified, sending Ederson the wrong way to draw Arsenal level.
The decision has divided opinion.
Some believe that Ederson committed a foul regardless of its impact – or lack thereof – on Nketiah’s shot at goal.
Others think Ederson just stood his ground and had nowhere to go as Nketiah ran full speed into him.
It seems Gary Neville falls into the latter camp as he took to Twitter to share his reaction to the decision.
Neville simply stated ‘not a pen that’, sharing his confusion as Arsenal got themselves back into the game.
This is an argument that will probably rage on for a while yet, but given that Arsenal have been on the receiving end of some dreadful refereeing of late, maybe they deserved to be on the right side of a tight call.
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