Andy Robertson seemed to got ‘elbowed’ by assistant referee Constantine Hatzidakis leaving the Liverpool full-back “apoplectic” and “stunned”, during the Reds’ thrilling encounter against Arsenal. Geoff Shreeves, a touchline reporter for Sky Sports, said as much when covering the remarkable 2-2 tie between the two sides on Sunday at Anfield.
While the two sides played out a classic Premier League game, the headlines however were stolen by Hatzidakis who had a got at Andy Robertson. Arsenal raced to a quick two-goal lead through Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus, only to suffer an Anfield collapse, with Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino scoring back-to-back to pull things level.
A linesman elbows Robertson in the chin and it’s he who then gets shown a yellow. Ok. pic.twitter.com/vcKXwnVvyr
— Joanna Durkan (@JoannaDurkan_) April 9, 2023
Andy Robertson couldn’t believe linesman’s conduct suggests Sky reporter
At the half time, assistant referee Hatzidakis appeared to strike Andy Robertson in the jaw. Just as referee Paul Tierney blew the whistle for halftime, linesman Hatzidakis while carrying the ball was approached by the Scotland international. Robertson looked to grab the match official as he crossed the pitch to join his fellow referees at the half-way line.
To upon Hatzidakis reacted violently by extending his arm back in what seemed to be an elbowing in Andy Robertson’s direction. The three match officials were surrounded by Liverpool players as they tried to leave the Anfield pitch, with the whole incident leaving the 23-year-old left-back furiously holding his jaw. Shreeves, who caught Robertson’s reaction to the incident in the tunnel reported:
“Andy Robertson was absolutely apoplectic, stunned even. He said ‘he’s just elbowed me in the throat, the linesman has elbowed me in the throat’ – Jordan Henderson was well aware of it and led the remonstrations with referee Paul Tierney and after that they got taken away. Extraordinary scenes.”
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson, Diogo Jota, and Andy Robertson tried their best to bring to light thewhole incident concerning Hatzidakis to Tierney as they left the pitch. However, to the shock and fury of Curtis Jones, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Henderson, and Jota, Tierney then issued a yewllo card booking to the Liverpool left-back.
The four were eventually taken out of the area by a Liverpool coaching staff member. Covering the game on Sky Sports, Roy Keane criticised Andy Robertson during halftime, despite the fact that the Scot seemed to be the victim of the exchange. The left-back was branded a “big baby” by the former Manchester United captain. He said:
“Robertson, do you know what, does he grab the linesman first? I’m not sure, but he’s complaining. He should be more worried about his defending. Do you know what it is, that Robertson? I’ve watched him a number of times. He’s a big baby. That’s what he is. Just get on with the game and concentrate on your defending. He does grab the linesman first.”
In a statement, PGMOL stated that it was “aware of an incident involving assistant referee Constantine Hatzidakis and Liverpool defender Andrew Robertson at the halftime of the Liverpool vs. Arsenal fixture at Anfield.” After a heated argument between the two, the statement added that the body will “examine the incident in full.”