Pundits’ take on ‘nasty’ Christie challenge and Travers ‘mistake’ for penalty

PUNDITS felt both Arsenal and Cherries should feel “fortunate” certain calls went their way at Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal ran out 3-0 winners over Andoni Iraola’s men, thanks to goals from Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard and Declan Rice.

The first goal from Saka on the stroke of half-time was a key incident which left Iraola unhappy, the Englishman slotting home from the penalty spot after Kai Havertz went down under a challenge from Mark Travers.

The Irishman slid out to close down the angle and Havertz’s trailing leg hit the goalkeeper, before the forward went to ground.

After a brief pause, referee David Coote pointed to the spot, with video assistant Peter Bankes not recommending a review.

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Cherries were then aggrieved in the second half when they were controversially denied a goal, Antoine Semenyo’s effort disallowed by a perceived foul by Dominic Solanke on David Raya in the build-up.

Iraola felt the clearer foul had come from William Saliba on Philip Billing and Cherries should have been awarded at least a penalty, if not a goal outright.

There was also some debate around a first-half challenge from Ryan Christie on Saka, which left the winger requiring treatment.

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Discussing the key decisions on BBC’s Match of the Day, former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Jermaine Jenas said of Arsenal’s opener: “I think it’s a penalty.

“If Travers comes out the way he does, you can say Havertz has left his leg there, but it’s more a mistake on the keeper’s side.

“If that’s my striker I’m saying ‘you’ve got to go down there’. He’s come flying out and he’s caught him.”

Former England marksman Gary Lineker concurred, adding: “You don’t have to lift your leg to avoid the goalkeeper, it’s the keeper’s fault.”

On the decision to rule out Cherries’ goal, Jenas said: “The disallowed goal, I think they’re very fortunate, Arsenal, on numerous occasions.

“I don’t think there’s anywhere near enough contact from Solanke on Raya. Both feet are on the floor from Raya, it’s not like he’s in the air.

“He miscues this punch and they stick it in the back of the net.

“But the bigger issue is the contact from Saliba on Billing, pulling him down.

“They got away with one, but all in all, Arsenal I thought were brilliant and deserved the win anyway.”

Ian Wright, the second highest goalscorer in Arsenal’s history, said: “He’s very fortunate, Christie.

“He’s way over the top of that ball there. I thought he was very lucky.

“That was a nasty one for him (Saka) and he had a nasty cut from that.”