Alan Shearer has blasted Premier League referee Sam Barrott for an ‘awful decision’ in Arsenal’s 4-2 win over Leicester City at the Emirates on Saturday.
The Gunners were made to work for three points after throwing away a two-goal lead, eventually securing the victory with two late goals in injury time.
There was controversy in the match as Arsenal star Riccardo Calafiori wasn’t sent off for his foul on Facundo Buonanotte when he was already on a yellow card.
Leicester manager Steve Cooper described the decision as ‘beyond belief’ while Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta admits he was ‘really worried’ when he watched it live.
Arsenal, though, got away with it and football pundit Shearer feels the north Londoners were incredibly fortunate not to be reduced to 10 men.
‘I think that’s an awful decision,’ Shearer told Premier League Productions. ‘You can clearly see Calafiori stick his leg out.
‘It’s a deliberate trip. Yellow card that should be. Absolutely. It’s such an important point in the game.
‘To rub salt in the wounds, Buonanotte gets a yellow card instead. Look, he sticks his leg out. It’s a deliberate trip. All day that is a yellow card.’
Cooper, meanwhile, was left furious after the match and said in his post-match press conference: ‘It’s a clear foul on Jamie Vardy for the first goal and the left-back has to get sent off for a second yellow.
‘There’s so much more we could say. The whole game knows, but I’m not going down that road today. We were very disappointed with a foul not being given on Vards for the first goal.
‘And although we don’t come into games trying to get players sent off, why he hasn’t sent off Calafiori is a little bit beyond belief.
‘Because of the spell we’re in and the spell that I’m in personally, I’m trying to not let referees’ decisions be the headline.
‘I’m trying to take responsibility for a team that needs to get better results. But we feel those were two poor decisions.’
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