Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher disagree over VAR's penalty verdict in Liverpool vs Arsenal

During Liverpool's 1-1 draw with Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday (December 23), a controversial incident involving Martin Odegaard sparked a divergence of opinions between Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher.

The Gunners displayed dynamism from the get-go and secured an early advantage at Anfield, thanks to Gabriel Magalhaes' opener off Martin Odegaard's free-kick. Despite their sluggish start, the Reds regained momentum, with Mohamed Salah narrowly missing an equaliser.

In the midst of Liverpool's resurgence, a controversial moment unfolded as Odegaard appeared to handle the ball in the area. The Arsenal captain slipped and put his hand on the ball, which instantly drew appeals for a penalty. The VAR team examined the incident before eventually deciding that it wasn't a penalty.

Neville, offering his analysis on Sky Sports, suggested that Odegaard's slip might have been his saving grace (via Football London):

"I think he may just slip there. That right leg is giving way, which means his left arm goes down. I think that’s what saves him. I think he’s lucky, but it might be that his foot gives way which means he puts his arm down to try and rebalance and that saves him."

Jamie Carragher's perspective was rooted in a stricter interpretation of the rules (via Football London), though:

"I think that’s a penalty. He’s very fortunate there (Martin) Odegaard."

Despite the controversy, the Reds soon found their rhythm. Mohamed Salah controlled a pass from Trent Alexander-Arnold and expertly navigated past Oleksandr Zinchenko to score after 29 minutes, beating Gunners custodin David Raya at the near post.

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Carragher says Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker would have boosted Arsenal's points tally

Sky Sports analyst Jamie Carragher has said that Liverpool's goalkeeper Alisson Becker could have been a game-changer for Premier League leaders Arsenal. His hypothetical transfer to the Gunners, Carragher revealed, might have significantly boosted their points tally.

In a commentary to The Telegraph, Carragher hailed Alisson's abilities (Daily Post):

“If Arsenal had Alisson Becker, they would be almost guaranteed a minimum of nine extra points, which would win them the title.

"Overall, Arsenal are a year ahead of Liverpool in their development, but the teams are closer than Klopp could have imagined when playing catch-up at the start of this season.”

The Gunners are yet to win at Anfield since September 2012. However, they will be pleased to lead the Premier League table at Christmas, holding a slender one-point advantage over the Reds after 18 games.

The Gunners host West Ham United on December 28, while the Reds face Burnley away two days earlier.