Arsenal vs Hull: Should Alexis Sanchez's goal have been ruled out for handball?

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Tom Doyle11 February 2017

Arsene Wenger needed some good fortune as Arsenal headed into a potentially tricky Premier League clash against Hull at Emirates Stadium, and duly found it with the first goal.

Alexis Sanchez bundled the ball into Hull's net from close range to put Arsenal 1-0 up after 34 minutes, but the visitors were furious as they claimed the Gunners star had handled the ball.

Replays showed that the ball cannoned back off of Sanchez's arm after Eldin Jakupovic had initially saved from the Chilean forward's close-range effort, though Mark Clattenburg allowed the goal to stand as Arsenal went into half-time with the lead.

The goal meant that Sanchez has now been directly involved in 65 of 90 Premier League goals for the Gunners, with 45 goals and 20 assists proving the 28-year-old's value to the team.

Getty Images

But the real question is whether the goal should have stood at all: was it a deliberate handball, or simply a chance rebound?

The rules of the game state that a handball is a 'deliberate' action: referees then interpret whether the hand or arm moves towards the ball to block it, or whether the arm or hand is in an unnatural position.

What would you say about Sanchez's effort? Have your say and vote in the poll below...

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