Brighton 1-1 Bournemouth: Were hosts right to fume at VAR decision?

The incident happened around the half-hour mark when Bournemouth‘s Adli was initially cautioned for simulation by referee Paul Tierney after tumbling under the challenge of goalkeeper Verbruggen.

But, after recommendation from VAR official Jarred Gillett, Tierney reviewed it on the pitchside monitor, reversed his decision and awarded a penalty – announcing contact had been made.

Tavernier subsequently slotted home the spot-kick earning the visitors the opener, which looked like winning Bournemouth the game until Kostoulas’s late intervention.

Replays showed the slightest of contact was made by Verbruggen’s high foot but, with the ball seemingly running harmlessly away from goal, Brighton‘s staff, players and fans were left incensed by the decision.

After a weekend that saw Arsenal furious they were not awarded a penalty and Manchester City incensed Diogo Dalot was not sent off in their Manchester derby defeat, it was another decision that was the main talking point on Monday night.

Unsurprisingly, Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola felt the decision was correct.

He said: “As soon as I saw the replay… Verbruggen also raises his leg a lot and contacts Amine. So I expected the decision, yes.”

Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry agreed on Sky Sports: “It is a penalty. You’re lifting your leg, at the time that you’re hitting the player, the ball is still in play. Regardless on if he can get it or not, it is still in play.

“In the modern day, as we all know, you’re looking at a situation in slow motion. And it was given. Instead of arguing with this right now, whether it was a penalty or not a penalty, it could’ve been avoided and we can clearly see the contact.”

Ex-Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, added: “These type of penalties would not have been given maybe 10 years ago. The ball is still in play and you can see the contact. Adli wouldn’t have got to the ball.”

Video assistant referee errors had risen in the first half of the Premier League season.

Data collected by BBC Sport taken from the Premier League’s Key Match Incidents (KMI) Panel shows mistakes had increased 30% season-on-season from 10 to 13 before the weekend.

It was still a marked improvement on previous years, with 20 errors at this stage of the 2023-24 campaign and 23 in 2022-23.