"Rubbish rule" - Pundits rips into 'terrible' decision to rule out Kai Havertz's Arsenal equaliser against Aston Villa

Pundit Jamie Redknapp has criticised the decision to deny Arsenal a late equaliser during the 1-0 loss to Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday (December 9).

The Gunners saw Eddie Nketiah's late goal at Villa Park ruled out for a controversial hand ball on Kai Harvertz in the build-up, leaving Redknapp unimpressed.

Aston Villa once again proved their level as they got the better of Arsenal, thanks to an early strike from John McGinn. However, the game would have ended in a draw had the Gunners' late strike been allowed to stand.

Eddie Nketiah thought he had restored parity when he found the back of the net in the 92nd minute, but the goal was ruled out. Following a lengthy VAR review, it was decided that it wouldn't stand, as the ball made contact with Kai Harvertz's hand.

The decision didn't sit well with Redknapp who reckons it cost Mikel Arteta's men a vital goal that should've stood. The pundit branded the rule as rubbish and called for a review of the Premier League's handball rules.

"It's a rubbish rule. How can that be a handball?" A disappointed Redknapp said on Sky Sports studio. "It struck Matty Cash. It is just rebounding around. It may just drop onto his hands, and he knocks it into the net. The law being if you are the goalscorer and it touches your hands before you put the ball into the net, it's not going to count.

"We are getting ourselves into such a mess with these rules all the time. How on earth can that be a handball? It's the rule at the moment. But if we are trying to be helpful and trying to improve to make it a best place for more goals, someone must look at goal.

"It's a bad rule. It had grazed his arm. If he sticks his arm out, and, then, it hits the hand, then it would be a handball anyway. Whoever has decided to come up with that as a law, I think it's ridiculous. It cost Arsenal a goal," the pundit added.

It's worth notting that Aston Villa have beaten last season's champions and runners up (Arsenal and Manchester City) in the last five days. With 35 points, they're third in the standings, two points behind leaders Liverpool.

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What the result means for Arsenal and Aston Villa?

The 1-0 loss to Aston Villa means that Arsenal have lost their spot at the top of the Premier League table. Liverpool, who earned a hard-fought 2-1 win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in the early kickoff, lead the title race.

The Reds are atop the table with 37 points from 16 games, winning 11, and are a point above the Gunners, who have also won 11 times. For Aston Villa, the 1-0 win took them to within a point of the Gunners.

Fourth-placed Manchester City (30) won't climb above them even if they win at Luton Town on Sunday.