João Pedro’s penalty helped Brighton earn a tough 1-1 draw with Arsenal following a disputed incident at the Amex Stadium. The penalty was awarded after William Saliba was judged to have unintentionally headbutted Pedro in the box while challenging for a high ball.
Referee Anthony Taylor immediately pointed to the penalty spot, and the decision was promptly reviewed and confirmed by VAR. The Premier League later issued a statement affirming the decision:
“The referee’s penalty decision for a foul by Saliba on João Pedro was reviewed and upheld by VAR, which determined there was enough contact to warrant the penalty.”
Ethan Nwaneri had given Arsenal the lead in the first half, but a calm penalty by Pedro in the second half leveled the score, ultimately determining the outcome of the match.
This incident ignited a debate among fans on social media, with mixed opinions on the fairness of the penalty decision. One fan commented, “It’s just like any other tackle. The ball was there to be won, Pedro got to it first, and Saliba was late. Correct call.”
Another fan disagreed, tweeting, “That’s such a soft penalty. Saliba was going for the header, and there was only the slightest contact with Joao Pedro’s head.”
Others supported the referee’s decision, with one stating, “Not sure why there’s any complaints about that penalty. Saliba heads Joao Pedro and misses the ball completely… Clear penalty.”
As a result of the draw, Arsenal narrowed the gap to league leaders Liverpool by just one point, while Brighton moved up to 10th place in the standings.
