Kiwior has been widely criticised for his role in Brighton’s opener (Picture: Getty)
Arsenal defender Jakub Kiwior was left hoping ‘VAR would intervene’ after being heavily criticised for his role in Brighton’s opening goal at the Emirates on Sunday.
Brighton scored three times in the second-half as they effectively ended Arsenal’s Premier League title challenge with Manchester City now four points clear at the top.
Julio Enciso headed home from close range after 51 minutes to open the scoring.
Kiwior, who had been marking the forward, went down holding his foot in the six-yard area following a challenge from Evan Ferguson just before the cross was delivered, leaving the Paraguayan free to nod home unchallenged.
Roy Keane, Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher are among the pundits to have slammed the Arsenal defender for going down during such a crucial phase of play.
Reflecting on the incident, Kiwior explained he believed he had been fouled in the build-up, admitting he and his teammates were unable to lift themselves following the opening goal.
‘I felt contact and lost my boot and didn’t even see the goal,’ he told Viaplay.
The Poland defender said he was fouled by Evan Ferguson in the build-up (Picture: Getty)
‘I hoped VAR would intervene and chalk off the goal, but unfortunately, the ref saw it differently. After we conceded the second our heads dropped and we couldn’t come back.’
Kiwior’s decision to go down was immediately questioned by Neville during Sky Sports’ coverage of the game with Keane also criticising him at full-time.
Former Liverpool and England defender Carragher felt it was an ’embarrassing’ moment for the Arsenal defender, insisting he should have got up and seen out the Brighton attack.
‘It was embarrassing Kiwior stayed down whether it was a foul or not (it wasn’t) – there was very little wrong with him,’ Carragher tweeted. ‘Get up and defend like your life depends on it.’
Former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira was also left unimpressed.
He told Sky Sports: ‘You expect your centre-back to be strong enough to stay on his feet and defend the ball first.’
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The defender was at fault for Brighton’s opener.