Liverpool star Kuyt: I
know the ref but he didn't do me a favour against
Arsenal.
Dirk Kuyt, the man at the centre of the penalty controversy in
the Champions League quarter-final first leg at Emirates Stadium,
denied referee and fellow Dutchman Pieter Vink had done him a
favour by rejecting what looked like a blatant spot-kick. Kuyt, who
capped an outstanding display by scoring Liverpool's equaliser in a
1-1 first leg draw, admitted that he knew Vink and came from the
same area of Holland.
The official hails from a town just outside Amsterdam called
Noordwijkerhout, which is only 5km from the striker's home town of
Katwijk aan Zee. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was strongly
critical of Vink after Kuyt appeared to pull Alexander Hleb back in
the box in the second half but Liverpool's Dutch striker believes
the official was correct with his decision to wave play on.
"I think the referee got the decision right," said Kuyt. "I did
touch Hleb but I didn't pull his shirt or hold him. It was close to
be fair but he didn't deserve a penalty. "I do know the referee. I
played in Holland lots of times where he was the referee and he was
the official when we played Feyenoord earlier this season. We both
come from the same area. He comes from Leiden and that is the place
where I grew up also.
"It is wrong, though, to say that, because I know the referee,
he made decisions in my favour. He made a good decision against
Arsenal with the penalty. There were no favours."
Can't look: Arsene Wenger
was upset by Arsenal's luck
Wenger understandably, though, disagreed. "There was a
blatant penalty," said the Arsenal manager. "It was not given - and
just under the eye of the referee. This sort of thing has happened
to us frequently and with the referee that close, it should have
been given. If he is in a bad position we can see why it wasn't
given but he was so close to Kuyt and still didn't give the
penalty. It is difficult to understand why it wasn't
given."
Kuyt believes his team now have the edge but expects a tough
second leg against an Arsenal side he described as "playing the
best football in Europe". He added: "I wouldn't say we are
favourites. Champions League matches are very close and you never
know what is going to happen in them."
Arsenal had taken a 23rd minute lead through an Emmanuel
Adebayor header but Liverpool were back on level terms three
minutes later when Kuyt slid home Steven Gerrard's cross from the
left. Arsenal's Robin Van Persie, who went off at half-time with a
thigh injury, is a doubt for Saturday's Premier League match
between the two sides.
