Arsenal VAR penalty confusion explained as Paul Merson and Martin Keown wildly disagree

Arsenal were the victims of two controversial refereeing decisions during Wednesday night's Champions League showdown with Italian giants Inter Milan.

The Gunners travelled to Italy looking to take a huge step towards qualification for the next round - after winning two of their first three games of the league phase.

However, Mikel Arteta's men found themselves 1-0 down at half-time after referee Istvan Kovacs awarded Inter a penalty for handball. Hakan Calhanoglu's free-kick into the box deflected off Mehdi Taremii - and on to the hand of summer signing Mikel Merino.

Despite the midfielder's arm seemingly in a natural position, VAR stuck with the on-field decision and Calhanoglu fired down the middle to put the home team ahead. "It's extremely frustrating," Martin Keown said on TNT Sports.

"The wording is, is the arm in an unnatural position? It certainly isn't. I don't know who determines that, but the referee has given it - and VAR is never going to intervene. It's ruining our game and it's certainly ruined Arsenal's team talk there at half-time."

Inter's opener came shortly after Arsenal were denied a spot-kick themselves. Goalkeeper Yann Sommer wiped Merino out in the air as the Spaniard contested a delivery into the box.

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Former Gunners star Paul Merson explained why he thought they should have been awarded a penalty while on punditry duties for Sky Sports. "He gets there before the goalie and then heads it over the bar. Great ball," he said.

"He's come and got the ball and then he's come and punched his head off. He's literally has punched his head off, double punch. If this ain't one [a penalty]. It's another corner and I think he's waiting. They'd got to. It's a penalty in my opinion.

"He literally comes out, misses the ball and punches his head off. Anywhere else on the pitch... Ahh play on. What do I know? Unbelievable, isn't it?"

Keown, though, had a different view on Arsenal's penalty shout. He said: "I'm not sure it's the tale of two penalties. The 'keeper makes the contact, but it's the follow through that catches the player. I would've been unhappy if that was the other way around and it was given against Arsenal. That's what I will say."