Ian Wright told Optus Sport on Premier League Productions that the correct call was made to hand Eddie Nketiah a goal during Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Fulham on Sunday.
In the dying moments of the game, Nketiah, who only came off the bench because Alexandre Lacazette had picked up an injury, scored a stoppage-time equaliser.
But Fulham boss, Scott Parker, was left seething after the game because he felt that Arsenal defender, Rob Holding, was offside when the goal was scored, even though he wasn’t involved in the play, as posted by Reuters.
Wright shared his thoughts on Parker’s annoyance, as the Premier League’s all-time goalscorer, Alan Shearer, also waded in on the controversy.
“I don’t know what to say in this instance,” said Wright. “He (the Fulham keeper) is feeling like Rob Holding might be someone who could get involved in it.
“The goalkeeper would be wary of Holding there. But as much as Scott Parker’s right, that he’s offside, but with the way the rules are now, he’s not really interfering with that instance of play. As much as I feel for him, that used to be, but now it’s not.”
Shearer added: “I think he (Parker) just doesn’t like the law. Deep down, he will know, under the current laws, that is offside.
“It’s the correct decision. What he’s moaning about is that he just doesn’t like the way the law is written.”
This was a body-blow of a result, more so for Fulham than the Gunners because their Premier League status is on the line.
It perhaps shows how far Arsenal have fallen that, such a result, doesn’t cause much damage because they are out of the European picture, from a realistic standpoint, and they need to put all their eggs into that Europa League basket.
Whether they can do the business against the Europa League expert, and a familiar face, in Unai Emery remains to be seen because that’s going to be one hell of a battle.
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