Referee Andy Madley caught to his weapons to disregard a VAR assessment and deny Brighton a penalty in a 0-0 draw at Brentford which retains them outdoors the European spots.
Madley was known as to the assessment monitor in first-half added time by VAR Michael Oliver after Lewis Dunk was hauled to the bottom by Yoane Wissa inside his personal space.
However he shocked many contained in the Gtech Neighborhood Stadium by preserving together with his on-field choice after ruling the Brighton defender had initiated contact.
That was the principle speaking level of a sport with loads at stake however little clear need to decide to a victory which might have all-but secured Brentford’s security, and brought Brighton again as much as seventh.
Ivan Toney missed Brentford’s greatest likelihood of the sport when he fired off-balance into Bart Verbruggen’s arms after half an hour, whereas Brighton didn’t threaten till second-half added time regardless of racking up 22 pictures.
Danny Welbeck ought to have received the sport within the second minute of stoppage time when a flick-on despatched him clear over the midway line.
His wayward end allowed Brentford to maneuver a degree nearer to security, whereas Brighton stay behind West Ham and Newcastle in ninth.
How Brentford blunted Brighton
Thomas Frank resisted the urge to reunite his attacking triumvirate of Wissa, Toney and Bryan Mbeumo for the primary time this season by naming an unchanged workforce geared toward stifling Brighton and hitting on the break.
Issues performed out as he might have anticipated from the off, with the Seagulls controlling possession and territory with out testing Mark Flekken, whereas Wissa got here shut on the finish of a flowing counter-attack by capturing vast.
Toney not less than examined Verbruggen quickly after when fed by his strike accomplice, however the half ebbing out with out additional incident till VAR’s late intervention.
A Brighton nook was cleared with out a lot discover from the away facet, however Madley stopped the restart when the ball subsequent went out of play to go to the VAR assessment monitor after he was alerted to a possible penalty by Oliver.
It took little time for the referee to go in opposition to the video official’s suggestions, although, after recognizing Wissa had been tugged by Dunk first earlier than pulling the Brighton defender down within the field himself. He was adopted down the tunnel at half-time by quite a lot of irate Seagulls gamers, together with Dunk.
The second half barely grew to become extra of an occasion than the primary, as Brentford struggled to hyperlink up within the opposition half and Brighton continued to toil regardless of their superior possession.
They lastly threatened within the dying moments when Joao Pedro spun and noticed a harmful wanting shot deflected vast, earlier than Welbeck nodded the ensuing nook previous the close to put up.
The striker nonetheless had time for an additional likelihood which ought to have stolen the factors in added time, when Julio Enciso’s nod set him clear over the midway line.
However, with solely Flekken to beat, he planted his shot vast from a decent angle as Brighton’s hopes of ending the night time again within the European spots went up in smoke.
Frank: If you cannot win, do not lose
Brentford supervisor Thomas Frank: “I think it was a good point. A well-deserved point, not a lucky point. It was one we have missed a lot of times this season – if you can’t win, don’t lose.
“We bought a clear sheet, we’ve not had too a lot of them. That was nicely deserved, that they had loads of pictures however many outdoors the field. I do not assume Mark [Flekken] had a very powerful save.
“In terms of the defensive mindset, we’re normally good at defending and there’s been spells this season we have made too many mistakes. It was really good today and against Man Utd as well.
“It was a reasonably even sport, that they had extra of the ball nevertheless it might have gone both manner.”
On the VAR review: “Unbelievable choice. I simply spoke to the referees, so far as I do know it is the protocol the VAR needed to ask him to go to the display.
“Even though it’s clearly a foul on Wissa first, it’s just part of the protocol. Between them, it worked well. It’s good, Andy was good today overall. There was a lot of tricky situations but he was good.”
De Zerbi: We performed as true Brighton
Brighton head coach Roberto De Zerbi: “I’m really pleased with the performance, we played as true Brighton, as we did against Liverpool.
“I am disillusioned with the outcome – we shot 24 occasions, we created six clear probabilities to attain. Eleven pictures heading in the right direction, however we did not rating. We’re disillusioned, in our heads we misplaced two factors.”
On the VAR review: “The referee was appropriate, possibly the choice was appropriate. My assistant instructed me at the start Dunk made a foul, however I’ve not seen the referee go to the display after which change the VAR’s choice earlier than. I’ve discovered one thing new at this time.”
What’s subsequent?
Brentford play once more on Saturday within the Premier League, travelling to Aston Villa; kick-off 3pm.
Brighton additionally play on Saturday Night time Soccer, taking up Arsenal dwell on Sky Sports activities; kick-off 5.30pm.