Nottingham Forest defender Ola Aina has firmly dismissed calls for a late Arsenal penalty, insisting the referee made the correct judgment during the 0-0 Premier League draw. The Nigeria international was involved in a tense moment late in the game when the ball appeared to strike his arm in the box as he conceded a corner.
Arsenal players appealed for a penalty, but after a VAR review, no spot-kick was given. Speaking after the match, Aina defended the officials’ decision, saying he did not deliberately handle the ball. “I felt a little nudge, it touched me, but my hands were by my side. I think it was the right call,” he said.
Television replays suggested the ball may have grazed Aina’s arm, but VAR determined there was no intentional contact. The Premier League later confirmed the ruling, clarifying that the ball hit Aina’s shoulder first, with his arm in a natural position, justifying the decision not to award a penalty.
Forest manager Sean Dyche also rejected Arsenal’s protests, describing the reaction as overblown. Speaking to TNT Sports, he said, “I think that’s ridiculous. You could cancel football if you’re going to give that as a penalty. The rules need to be sensible. The focus should be on people feigning injury, that’s the new diving. I wouldn’t worry about the handballs. Cancel football if that handball is given.”
VAR officials concluded that Aina did not intentionally use his arm, a key factor in denying the penalty. Despite failing to score, Arsenal extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to seven points, though manager Mikel Arteta was visibly frustrated, feeling his side had been denied a critical chance to secure three points.
