Noni Madueke has pulled no punches in his assessment of a fiery exchange with Alexis Mac Allister during Arsenal's vital Premier League victory at Anfield. The England international found himself at the centre of a VAR review following a confrontation that threatened to overshadow a historic night for the Gunners.
Arsenal secured a monumental 1-0 victory over Liverpool, marking their first triumph at the stadium in 14 years courtesy of a record-breaking Kai Havertz strike . However, the tense encounter was marred by a major second-half scuffle.
The drama unfolded after Mac Allister sparked a melee by striking a grounded Martin Odegaard. Jurrien Timber and Madueke rushed in to confront the midfielder, resulting in a heated face-off.
As Madueke and Mac Allister squared up, their heads touched slightly. The Liverpool man subsequently threw himself to the ground, attempting to win a dismissal. Referee Andy Madley opted against a red card, a decision quickly validated by VAR Stuart Attwell .
Speaking to former Arsenal winger Freddie Ljungberg on Viaplay , Madueke was asked if he planned to swap shirts with the Argentine. "I wish I did," the England forward joked.
Addressing the incident, Madueke dismissed the severity of the clash. "I don't think it's anything whether it's a yellow card or a red card," he explained. "The referee didn't think that. VAR didn't think that. So we all agreed there."
The Arsenal attacker did not hold back in criticising his opponent's theatrics. "It's a natural movement," Madueke added. "He's obviously clever, he tried to bait me into getting a red card there, but obviously not.
"In my head I was thinking 'Oh, it's possible with VAR; it's about whoever interprets it. I don't know what they're thinking. But thankfully it wasn't."
The Anfield incident also drew intense criticism from Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher . The pundit praised the officials for ignoring Mac Allister's exaggerated fall.
"I'm delighted he didn't get sent off there," Carragher stated. "We have really got to be strong and start calling people out and say 'this is embarrassing'. I'm a Liverpool fan and it's a joke from Mac Allister, it's got to stop."
Fresh off their statement victory on Merseyside, the Premier League champions must quickly shift their focus back to continental competition. Arsenal will travel to face Slavia Prague in their next European fixture.
Following that midweek trip, the Gunners return to domestic action by hosting Hull. With Bukayo Saka still in the treatment room, Madueke will be expected to maintain his starting role and attacking influence.
