A former Tottenham star has now shared his opinion on whether Arsenal should have been awarded a penalty yesterday against AFC Bournemouth.
Mikel Arteta’s side were 3-0 winners in north London against an in-form Bournemouth with a Declan Rice masterclass inspiring the Gunners to a big win in the Premier League title race at the Emirates Stadium.
Despite the impressive performance, Arsenal’s first-half penalty has become a major talking point, with fans and pundits split on whether Kai Havertz went down too easily after being fouled by Bournemouth keeper Mark Travers.
And former Tottenham star Jermaine Jenas has now given his opinion on the controversial moment.
Jermaine Jenas agrees Arsenal’s penalty should have stood vs Bournemouth
Speaking on Match of the Day, the pundit said that the referee and VAR got the decision right to award Arsenal a penalty, with Bukayo Saka tucking home from the spot and putting the Gunners 1-0 up.
With softer fouls being given in the Premier League, there’s a good reason why Travers’ foul on Havertz was given as a penalty, and the decision is one Arsenal will be thankful for given the full-time result.
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Jenas said when asked about the penalty: “I think it is a penalty. I think if Travers comes out the way he does, you can say he left his leg there, but I think it is more of a mistake on the keeper’s side than it is for Havertz’s.
“I think it is a penalty. For me, if he is my striker, I am saying, ‘Listen, you have got to go down there, he has come flying out and he has caught it.”
Arsenal need to ignore noise from critics at this stage of the season
Arsenal’s penalty decision could have gone in either direction, with Travers’ foul on Havertz something that has been given or waved off in numerous Premier League games this season.
Yet heading into the last two games of the campaign, Arsenal need to ensure they are ignoring all the noise from critics, with the squad’s sole focus on winning against Manchester United and Everton.
Six points from six could be what lands Arsenal their first Premier League title in 20 years, and whilst they’ll need some luck in City slipping up, the Gunners still must do all they can to end the season on a high.