Gabriel Agbonlahor has delivered his verdict on the referee’s performance in Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich on Tuesday evening.
It was an action-packed first leg at the Emirates Stadium as Arsenal were made to pay with two costly errors.
Bukayo Saka opened the scoring in the 12th minute and the Gunners looked set to kick on from there. But a misplaced pass from Gabriel Magalhaes led to former Arsenal man Serge Gnabry levelling things up just six minutes later.
Mikel Arteta’s men were the architects of their own downfall once again. A late challenge from William Saliba on Leroy Sane gave Harry Kane the opportunity to hand Bayern a lead from the penalty spot.
Arsenal eventually found a leveller through Leandro Trossard in the second half and despite a thrilling 90 minutes of action, the referee was the main talking point after the game.
Glenn Nyberg waved away a couple of huge appeals from both Bayern and Arsenal for a penalty.
The first came when Gabriel picked the ball up after David Raya passed to him from a goal-kick. Nyberg allowed Arsenal to retake the goal-kick, with Eric Dier labelling the moment as ‘very strange’.
It’s a moment that has split opinion in football but Gabriel Agbonlahor feels the referee made the right call.
Agbonlahor delivers verdict on referee after Arsenal vs Bayern Munich
Speaking on talkSPORT, Agbonlahor explained why he believes Nyberg will be rewarded for ignoring Bayern’s appeals for a penalty.
“You’re starting from a dead ball situation, a goal kick,” the former Aston Villa striker said. “He has got the ball to Gabriel and Gabriel is like hand on the ball, we are going to start from this side.
“The Bayern Munich players are so far away, they are not gaining an advantage.
“The referee has used common sense, which I’m glad. Top referee. He will probably get another big game now, the semi-final, because he made a great decision.”
Saka denied penalty
While Gabriel’s handball has been a huge talking point, Arsenal were also denied a penalty in the dying seconds of the game.
Manuel Neuer raced off his line and made contact with Saka inside the Bayern box.
Nyberg waved away Arsenal’s appeals and it has proven to be another decision that has split opinion.
Some believe that Saka initiated contact with the Bayern goalkeeper, while others are adamant Neuer dangled out his leg.
The debate will rage on over the Saka incident ahead of the second leg in Munich next week.
But you have to say that common sense prevailed for the handball incident involving Gabriel. By the letter of the law, Bayern should have been handed their second penalty of the game.
Yet, you can’t help but feel it would have been a real shame to see the tie decided by such a moment.
The post 'I'm glad': Gabriel Agbonlahor shares what he thinks will happen to the referee after Arsenal vs Bayern Munich appeared first on TBR Football.