The Premier League has addressed the contentious penalty awarded to Brighton during their match against Arsenal.

The Premier League has released a statement following a controversial foul during Brighton’s clash with Arsenal.

Brighton’s Joao Pedro equalized Ethan Nwaneri’s first-half goal with a penalty awarded just after the hour mark. The penalty was given when Arsenal’s William Saliba accidentally made head-to-head contact with Pedro inside the box. Referee Anthony Taylor immediately pointed to the spot, and Pedro successfully converted the penalty.

Shortly after the match, the Premier League confirmed that the foul had been reviewed by VAR. Their statement read: “The referee’s call of penalty for a foul by Saliba on João Pedro was checked and confirmed by VAR, who deemed there was sufficient contact for a penalty.”

The decision sparked debate among fans online. Some defended the call, citing Saliba’s mistimed challenge, while others argued it was a soft penalty, with minimal contact involved. One fan commented, “Pedro wins the ball first, Saliba is late. Correct decision.” Another countered, “That’s an incredibly soft penalty. Saliba was attempting to head the ball and barely grazed Pedro’s head.”

The penalty ultimately played a key role in the match, which ended 1-1. Arsenal managed to reduce the gap on leaders Liverpool to one point, while Brighton moved into the top half of the table, now sitting in 10th

place.