New footage has surfaced of the incident that led to Brighton being awarded a penalty in their 1-1 draw with Arsenal at the Amex Stadium, potentially shifting perspectives on the controversial decision.
Brighton were trailing 1-0 after Ethan Nwaneri’s 16th-minute goal when William Saliba conceded a penalty for a foul on João Pedro. Pedro converted the spot kick in the 61st minute, but the incident left fans divided.
Initially, Saliba, 23, appeared to headbutt the Brighton forward, prompting referee Anthony Taylor to award the penalty. The Premier League later released a statement confirming that VAR had reviewed the decision and upheld it, citing sufficient contact for a penalty.
However, new footage shared on social media suggests Saliba may have made contact with the ball before colliding with Pedro. This revelation sparked fresh debate among fans on X.
One fan argued: “The ball clearly hits Saliba’s head before the contact with Pedro. They both contested the header and made contact with the ball and each other.”
Another disagreed, saying: “It’s a dangerous follow-through. These are given all the time, especially when the attacker wins the ball first. The problem is, it’s rare to see this situation reversed.”
A third fan suggested bias, stating: “Imagine Arsenal getting this penalty. It would seem like a gift. We never get decisions like this. There’s definitely referee bias involved.”
Meanwhile, another commented: “This footage only shows Pedro winning the ball before Saliba. It’s like a tackle where the attacker gets the ball and the defender fouls him. Standard foul. Arsenal fans should focus on their lack of a shot on target in the second half instead of complaining.”
One frustrated fan criticized Arsenal’s performance: “Saliba was late to the ball; it was a clear penalty. Arsenal were lucky Brighton didn’t finish their chances and win 3-1. This was an abysmal performance from Arsenal—trying to sit on a one-goal lead and waste time. They don’t look like title contenders.”
The result keeps Arsenal in second place, five points behind league leaders Liverpool, who have two games in hand. Arsenal now turn their attention to the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Newcastle on Tuesday, followed by an FA Cup third-round clash with Manchester United at the Emirates on Sunday, January 12.
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