Adrian Clarke has suggested that he is conflicted about what Kai Havertz did as Arsenal beat Bournemouth at the Emirates on Saturday.
The Gunners ensured that they would remain top of the Premier League table heading into the penultimate week of the season after a 3-0 victory over the Cherries.
There may have been a spell during the first-half when Arsenal fans may have wondered whether the opening goal would ever come, with Mikel Arteta’s men being denied on a number of occasions.
Thankfully for Arsenal, the breakthrough would come before the break, with Bukayo Saka scoring from the penalty spot for the league leaders.
Arsenal were awarded a penalty after Kai Havertz went down inside the area after taking the ball past Mark Travers.
Havertz certainly made contact with Travers, but it was quite clear that it was the German who ensured that he dragged his foot and caught the goalkeeper.
Adrian Clarke makes Kai Havertz admission after Arsenal win
Havertz has come in for criticism for diving this season after he should have been sent off in the win over Brentford in March. And it was disappointing to see him rewarded for a dive at the weekend.
Speaking on Handbrake Off, Adrian Clarke suggested that he was not entirely impressed by Havertz’s actions to ensure that he won the penalty.
“You don’t get rewarded for staying on your feet unfortunately,” he said.
“He drags his foot, he’s looking for it. You wouldn’t be massively happy if it was a team that did it to us.
“He could’ve stepped over the goalie’s trailing leg, no doubt about it, but as I said, there is no reward for that unfortunately. I don’t love it, but grateful for it.”
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Clarke is definitely correct to point out that players do not tend to get decisions unless they go to ground and make the most of what contact there is.
Officials have to take a large part of the responsibility for that, as players know that they are unlikely to get the decision if they remain on their feet.
Having said that, it is really poor from Havertz who makes absolutely no attempt to raise his left foot as high as his right. It is clear that he has absolutely no intention of doing anything other than making sure that he catches the goalkeeper.
Sadly, the referee fell for Havertz’s dive. Arsenal fans may argue that they were due a contentious decision going their way.