Arsenal v Liverpool: Brendan Rodgers laughs off controversy over offside call
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers laughed off controversy over a disallowed Aaron Ramsey goal after his team went toe-to-toe with Arsenal in a pulsating goalless draw in the Premier League last night.
Replays appeared to show Ramsey was onside when he ran onto a Santi Cazorla through-ball and slotted past Simon Mignolet at the Reds’ goalkeeper’s near post just nine minutes into the game.
It was the second contentious offside call to benefit Liverpool in eight days, following Christian Benteke’s winner against Bournemouth, and prompted Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger to quip: “You cannot say that Liverpool can complain in the last week.”
But a tongue-in-cheek Rodgers said: “I’ve seen a replay. His shirt looks offside. Great decision by the linesman.”
A third consecutive clean sheet saw Liverpool maintain their unbeaten start to the new campaign, though Rodgers felt the visitors could have extended their 100 per cent record.
“We definitely could have had all three points,” he added. “Performance-wise I was very happy with the way we worked. The first half in particular we created chances and should have been in front. Second half, you expect some pressure but we defended that very well and always looked a threat going forward.”
Rodgers also singled out Arsenal summer signing Petr Cech for a series of first-half saves, most notably a sprawling effort to deny Benteke at close range which prompted his Reds team-mate Roberto Firmino to sink to his knees in disbelief.