Bournemouth’s Lewis Cook delivers verdict on Cody Gakpo penalty incident against Liverpool

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Liverpool got a little lucky against Bournemouth on Saturday in the eyes of some.

With the Reds a touch under the cosh on the south coast, they were given a way into the lead after being awarded a penalty after half an hour played.

At first watch, the spot-kick looked a soft one. Nevertheless, Cherries captain Lewis Cook was adjudged to have clipped Cody Gakpo has he sprinted into the box. Penalty kick.

Mohamed Salah stuck it away emphatically and Liverpool went on to win the game 2-0. But there’s little argument that the awarding of the penalty was a big moment in the match.

Gary Lineker thinks Cook was harshly done by and he’s certainly not the only one to share that view.

However, there were few complaints from the Bournemouth player at the time and looking back on the incident several days later, Cook looks to have drawn a line under the matter.

Lewis Cook admits to clipping Cody Gakpo

Saturday’s win at Bournemouth felt like a big moment in Liverpool’s push for the Premier League title this season.

Having only just escaped Antoine Semenyo’s powerful shot hitting the post, it felt as though the Reds were going to find it difficult to emerge with points at the Vitality Stadium.

The penalty changed all of that, and although there has been plenty of debate surrounding its awarding, Cook has told the Daily Echo that he did in fact clip Gakpo on his way into the box.

“I think obviously I’ve just kind of thought all day that he’s going to be coming inside and then he kind of spins around the back and he’s a powerful player,” says the 28-year-old.

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“I’ve just tried to get back in and I think I haven’t really broke my stride or anything and I think I’ve clipped him. I’m not too sure. I watched it back, it’s quite hard to tell but I think that’s the level I think if I’m normally doing that in the middle of the park nothing happens.

“So something to learn on but yeah, massively disappointed.”

Cook ends penalty debate

You can understand why Bournemouth – and Arsenal – fans thought this was a soft one.

From one angle, it had actually looked as though Gakpo clipped his own heels without any touch from Cook at all.

However, whether the midfielder thinks it was a penalty or not, and he’s clearly not completely convinced, his admission that he ‘clipped’ Gakpo is enough. There was contact, it’s a penalty.

From a Liverpool point of view, it’s a meaningless debate anyway. The points are wrapped up and they have already turned their attention to Thursday’s Carabao Cup clash with Tottenham.

But just in case the rest of the division thinks Liverpool have somehow got away with one, this is yet more evidence that the referee simply did his job on Saturday.