Liverpool supporters were left frustrated with the refereeing display against Arsenal, with a club icon ranting about the chief of the match officials, Howard Webb

Liverpool legend John Aldridge has questioned Howard Webb's position as the chief of Pro Ref, after the Reds were left frustrated with a few key calls in the defeat to Arsenal at Anfield.

The match was a closely-fought encounter, where a whirlwind start from the visitors gave them a lead through Kai Havertz, leaving the hosts with work to do. There was an uplift after the 15-minute mark, when Andoni Iraola's side managed to pull together and start to assert dominance.

While plenty of promising opportunities came and went, Liverpool was ultimately unable to find an equalizer that the players may have felt they deserved during the game. Iraola would have felt aggrieved that some calls simply didn't go his team's way, particularly when it came to a penalty appeal for a challenge on Alexander Isak.

The Swedish international appeared to break free from his marker in the box to latch onto a header, only to have his shirt pulled for a sustained period of time, which may have ultimately impacted his ability to reach the cross.

Isak stayed on his feet and didn't appear to appeal too heavily, though his manager on the touchline did make his feelings clear to the fourth official in believing that it was a clear penalty.

That led to plenty of anger from supporters about the officiating on the day, but Liverpool legend Aldridge has taken aim at the higher-ups at Pro Ref, questioning the chief of referees Webb in the process.

Taking to social media after the game, the former star said: "I can't understand that NO one has questioned Howard Webb since he took his role up has the so called Head of refereeing????

"I think most football fans would agree it's gone much worse. He seems bullet proof JOKE. His time is up. Please follow If you're a proper fan of football and help put pressure on the authorities. PLEASE."

It's a claim that strikes at the heart of the concern over refereeing standards in the Premier League, something that Webb has been trying to tackle in his tenure so far.

The Pro Ref chief has made clear attempts to try and create transparency within the officiating process, with more public appearances on shows such as Match Officials Mic'd Up, which attempts to break down decisions from games with real audio from the games.

However, when there is a feeling that mistakes have been made, there have still been those clear frustrations outlined by fans, players, and managers alike during the recent campaigns.

Iraola certainly vented his frustrations with calls in particular that went against his team in Liverpool's defeat to Arsenal, when he said: "I think there are two situations and they are a little bit related. I think the [Alexander] Isak one is a clear penalty. He is going to head the ball in front of the goal and they grab him where everyone sees the shirt.

"You don't need a lot just to avoid Alex because the ball just goes in front of him and I don't see the reason why [it is not given]. Probably because he doesn't dive or he doesn't go to the floor – it shouldn't be a reason not to concede a penalty.

"And then after, the [Cody] Gakpo one, I think it's sustained holding but I understand the argument and I think they are right that they say the ball was too long and Cody wouldn't have arrived to the ball. But then you're basically accepting that the first one is a pen, no? So, you cannot use the argument in both ways differently. So, I think it's a pen, the Alex one is."

It remains to be seen what a review would make of the referee calls in Liverpool's clash with Arsenal, but the frustrations continue to bubble up in a league that is built on fine margins either way.