The referee elbowed Robertson in the face

On his way off the field at half-time, Robertson complained something to Constantine Hatzidakis. The line referee bounced back and elbowed the Liverpool defender in the face.

Referee Paul Tierney then upset the host by showing Robertson a yellow card for his reaction. Liverpool players surrounded the referee's team, in which captain Jordan Henderson pointed at Hatzidakis and accused him of hitting Robertson. Mohamed Salah tried to appease Robertson to avoid pushing the matter further.

The English Premier League Arbitration Body (PGMOL) said it had received reports of an incident between referee Hatzidakis and defender Robertson. They have investigated, and if found guilty, Hatzidakis will almost certainly no longer work in the Premier League this season.

"I think the referee should be banned for eight games like Mitrovic," commented former striker Darren Bent, comparing Hatzidakis' elbow to Mitrovic's handshake in Fulham's defeat to Man Utd last month. Former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Carragher and former striker Chris Sutton agree with this view.

Former Man Utd captain Roy Keane said that Robertson used inappropriate words. "Robertson should focus on defending instead of complaining," Keane commented on Sky Sports. "I've been watching him for years, and he's like a big kid."

Coach Jurgen Klopp was asked after the game about this incident but did not comment much. He said: "I have heard but not watched the tape. The photos and videos will say it all."

The highlight match of the 30th round of the Premier League between Liverpool and Arsenal took place with tension and high speed. The visitors led two goals from the first half, but the Anfield owner recouped a point thanks to two equalizers in the second half. Liverpool also squandered a penalty early in the second half when Salah shot wide.