Arsenal forward Kai Havertz had a goal ruled out v Aston Villa [credit: Match of the Day]
Arsenal forward Kai Havertz had a goal ruled out v Aston Villa [credit: Match of the Day]

Havertz incident: MOTD pundit says what Arsenal ace told teammates v Aston Villa

Max Wilkins

Senior Correspondent AUTHORITY Senior sports journalist with experience at GRV Media and VAVEL; University of Derby graduate. FOCUS Exclusive content, statistical analysis, and deep-dive reporting across the Breaking Media network. THE INSIGHT Max utilises a network of club and industry contacts to deliver verified, exclusive reporting and data-driven insight. He provides the intelligence behind the stories to ensure fans get the full picture.

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Kai Havertz told his Arsenal teammates that his goal against Aston Villa would be ruled out for handball, Danny Murphy has speculated.

The Germany international thought he had netted a late winner at the Emirates on Saturday (18 January) but his second goal of the evening was correctly ruled out by VAR.

With the scores reset to 2-2, the 25-year-old pleaded to Chris Kavanagh that the ball had struck his midriff rather than his hand.

Despite this, Murphy suggested, on Match of the Day (18 January), that the Gunners forward and his teammates knew that the goal was going to be chalked off.

Murphy: "At first, there are angles where you aren't sure but you can see even when he's walking off, talking to his teammate with his arm over his mouth, this is the clearest one you'll see."

Kai Havertz in Arsenal handball controversy v Aston Villa

Whatever the former Chelsea man said, there is no doubt that it was handball and the late goal had to be ruled out by VAR.

It is unclear what Havertz could have possibly complained about given that the ball clearly strikes an outward hand before wrong-footing Emi Martinez.

This moment was arguably a stroke of luck for the Villans but Unai Emery's side made their own luck after coming back from 2-0 down on the night.

Unai Emery
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery [Credit: Imago]

The Gunners had their chances throughout the game but if the away side had lost to a handball, it arguably would have been an undeserved defeat.

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