New footage of the incident that saw Brighton awarded a penalty against Arsenal in the 1-1 draw at the Amex has emerged – and it has changed everything.
The Seagulls were behind 1-0 after Ethan Nwaneri’s goal in the 16th minute when William Saliba fouled Joao Pedro, resulting in a penalty. The Brazilian converted the penalty in the 61st minute.
The incident, however, has sparked debate among fans. Initially, it seemed that Saliba, 23, headbutted the Brighton forward, and referee Anthony Taylor agreed, awarding a penalty.
Later, the Premier League issued a statement, saying, “The referee’s decision to award a penalty for Saliba’s foul on João Pedro was reviewed and confirmed by VAR, which determined there was enough contact to justify the penalty.”
However, a new angle shared on social media suggests that Saliba may have made contact with the ball before the head clash.
A new angle of the penalty incident involving William Saliba during Brighton’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal has surfaced, and it has sparked fresh debate. The Seagulls were trailing 1-0 after Ethan Nwaneri’s 16th-minute goal when Saliba fouled Joao Pedro, leading to a penalty, which Pedro converted in the 61st minute.
Initially, Saliba appeared to headbutt Pedro, prompting referee Anthony Taylor to award the penalty. The Premier League later confirmed that VAR reviewed the decision and agreed that there was sufficient contact to justify the penalty.
However, a new video angle, shared on social media, suggests Saliba made contact with the ball before the heads collided, leading to further debate. Some fans believe the penalty was unjust, while others argue that the attacker’s follow-through should still be penalized. One fan pointed out that if Arsenal had been awarded the penalty, it would have felt like a gift, while others criticized the overall performance of the team, saying that Brighton should have won the match.
The draw keeps Arsenal in second place, five points behind leaders Liverpool, with two games in hand. Their next fixtures include a Carabao Cup semi-final against Newcastle and an FA Cup match against Manchester United.
