Liverpool vs Arsenal: Van Dijk and Iraola give strong opinion on VAR after historic defeat

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has unleashed a scathing attack on the standard of Premier League officiating and the VAR system after his side was denied a crucial penalty during their 1-0 defeat to Arsenal at Anfield.

The comments follow a contentious Sunday afternoon when the Gunners successfully ended a 14-year wait, securing their first league victory at Liverpool's fortress since a 2-0 win in September 2012.

The focal point of the fury arrived late when Liverpool striker Alexander Isak had his shirt pulled inside the penalty box by Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber.

Despite the clear contact, the on-field referee waved play on, and the VAR team situated at Stockley Park remarkably chose not to intervene or send the official to the pitchside monitor.

Speaking directly to Sky Sports in the aftermath of the bruising defeat, a visibly enraged Van Dijk did not hold back his criticism of the technology designed to eradicate such errors.

"There was a clear penalty for us. VAR doesn’t notice it? There are 50 cameras," the Dutch center-back declared.

Addressing suggestions that Isak was penalised for not protesting the foul with enough passion to sway the officials, Van Dijk found the notion entirely absurd.

"Why does he have to complain when there’s so many cameras? Everyone has seen it," the captain added.

Concluding his interview with a heavy dose of sarcasm aimed at both the officials and the victorious visitors, he stated, "At the end of the day, it wasn’t given so congratulations to Arsenal."

Iraola echoes the captain's frustrations

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola fully backed his captain's assessment of the pivotal incident, expressing his own utter disbelief at the decision during his post-match media duties.

Speaking to BBC Radio Five Live, the Spanish tactician stated, "I think the Alexander Isak penalty was very clear. Everyone sees how they grab the shirt. I don't understand."

The frustrating defeat represents a major setback for Liverpool in the Premier League title race, allowing Mikel Arteta's Arsenal to gain a massive advantage with a historic away victory.