After Arsenal defeated Liverpool 1-0, their first win at Anfield in 14 years, Ecuadorian defender Piero Incapie took to social media to provoke Dutch player Virgil van Dijk, British newspaper Sport Bible reported. The match was held on Round 9 of the Premier League, and Germany national team forward Kai Havertz scored a goal in the 16th minute of the first half, and Arsenal defended it. Liverpool continued to attack until the end of the match, but Arsenal's defense was solid and they did not allow a comeback.
Several decisions were disputed during the match. In particular, when Swedish national team forward Alexander Isak tried to take a header inside the box, Dutch national team defender Julien Timber allegedly pulled Isak's jersey. The decision was not to call it a ``holding foul,'' and the match continued. Liverpool were dissatisfied with the decision, and Van Dijk sarcastically said in the post-match interview, ``It was a clear penalty.''
After the game, Incapie posted several images on Instagram with the caption, "I haven't forgotten." What attracted attention was an enlarged photo of the golden badge worn by Arsenal's defending champions on the sleeve of their shirts. Given that Van Dijk posted a similar image during a draw in January, Incapie's post appears to be a deliberate attempt to provoke. Van Dijk commented at the time, ``Well done, Arsenal,'' expressing his dissatisfaction with the result.
This series of events caused the match between Liverpool and Arsenal to attract attention, not just for the win or loss, but also for the conflicts between the players and the interactions on social media. Arsenal will aim to use this victory as inspiration in their upcoming matches and move up in the Premier League, while Liverpool will aim to counterattack in their next match while resolving their dissatisfaction with the decision. The exchanges between Van Dijk and Incapie on social media have sparked debate among fans of both teams, and the upcoming match is expected to draw even more attention.