Jamie Carragher says whether Everton deserved a penalty v Arsenal after Myles Lewis-Skelly’s challenge on Jack Harrison

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The 2024/2025 season has been one where Arsenal have constantly been at the receiving end of controversial refereeing decisions and the latest one was against Everton after they were handed a penalty in the aftermath of Myles Lewis-Skelly and Jack Harrison’s tussle.

Iliman Ndiaye scored the spot-kick and eventually, the game ended 1-1 as Mikel Arteta was disappointed with the decision to hand the Toffees a spot-kick.

The Spaniard did not hide his feelings, as Arteta slammed Everton being handed a penalty after claiming he saw a replay of Lewis-Skelly’s challenge on Harrison 15 times.

But Arsenal had to share the spoils with Everton in what was yet another damning result that could prove that they have regressed this season.

Jamie Carragher was asked his view on whether Myles Lewis-Skelly made enough contact for David Moyes’ side to be given a penalty.

Jamie Carragher says Everton shouldn’t have got a penalty v Arsenal

Carragher initially stated that Lewis-Skelly’s contact on Harrison as “soft” but he did admit that upon first viewing, he did feel Everton warranted to be handed a penalty against Arsenal.

But Jamie Carragher did admit that after seeing the replay, he felt the decision was the incorrect one as Arsenal were wronged and Everton were fortunate to be given a spot-kick.

Carragher told Sky Sports: “If it was a penalty, it was very, very soft and I’m with Mikel Arteta, I don’t think it was a penalty. When I first saw it, I thought it was a penalty. I could understand the referee giving it in some ways because it was a bit of a mess from Arsenal. I think the centre-back, Kiwior leaves the ball, Lewis-Skelly gets himself caught with Harrison, it looks like a bit of a tangle.”

“So, I can understand the referee giving it but then when you look at it, it looked really, really soft and in some ways, that decision or those type of decisions are almost what’s wrong with VAR. You look at it and you say, that’s not a penalty.”

Jamie Carragher feels that decisions such as the one to punish Lewis-Skelly’s tussle with Jack Harrison are ones where VAR can improve as a system after reviewing Arsenal’s draw against Everton.

“But it’s not an absolute howler and then VAR don’t get involved and really, it’s just not a penalty. And that’s where sometimes I’d like VAR just to say, it’s not about the referee making a horrendous decision, it’s not a penalty, you make that decision and you move on.”

Alan Shearer’s verdict on Everton’s penalty decision vs Arsenal

Alan Shearer agreed with Jamie Carragher as he felt Everton were awarded an undeserved penalty against Arsenal, as he said on BBC Match of the Day: “Yeah I think it’s very, very soft, no, not enough to give penalty for me, no.

“And they’re not going to overturn it, there is a little bit of contact, look, when he falls he does clip his leg, but not for me no I think that’s very, very harsh.”

Gary Lineker added: “This is why VAR can never work in the current format because you’ve got to decide if it’s enough of a foul which just makes no sense whatsoever.”