Assistant referee under investigation for hitting Robertson with elbow
Assistant referee under investigation for hitting Robertson with elbow
April 9, 2023
The English Premier League officials will launch an investigation into an incident during Liverpool’s match with Arsenal, where an assistant referee allegedly elbowed Liverpool’s Andy Robertson.
In the game at Anfield, Liverpool came back from a 2-0 deficit, and Roberto Firmino scored a late equalizer to prevent Arsenal from winning.
During the intense match, an altercation occurred between the linesman, Constantine Hatzidakis, and Liverpool’s left-back Robertson at the end of the first half.
Television footage appeared to show Hatzidakis making contact with Robertson’s throat with his elbow. Robertson reportedly accused Hatzidakis of elbowing him in the tunnel during halftime, with Liverpool’s captain Jordan Henderson reportedly raising the issue with referee Paul Tierney.
Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), the body responsible for referees, vowed to examine the incident.
In a widely reported statement issued shortly before full-time, the body said: “PGMOL is aware of an incident involving assistant referee Constantine Hatzidakis and Liverpool defender Andrew Robertson at half-time during the Liverpool v Arsenal fixture at Anfield.
“We will review the matter in full once the game has concluded.“