Stoppage time Pascal Gross penalty denies Liverpool all three points
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Updated 28/11/2020 at 15:37 GMT
Premier League, Amex Stadium - Brighton & Hove Albion 1 (Gross 90' P) Liverpool 1 (Jota 60')
Pascal Gross of Brighton and Hove Albion scores a penalty for his team's first goal past Alisson Becker of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Liverpool at American Express Community Stadium on November 28, 2020 in
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Pascal Gross scored a stoppage-time penalty to earn Brighton a 1-1 draw at home to Liverpool as VAR once again took centre stage.
The champions moved a point clear at the summit, but were left lamenting an afternoon when the interventions seemed to all go against them.
The Seagulls should have exposed the visitors’ makeshift defence twice in the opening 20 minutes. First Aaron Connolly somehow shot off target when clear before Neal Maupay inexplicably fired a penalty wide. The Brighton forward's miserable afternoon was then compounded when he was taken off injured just moments later.
Liverpool hit back and almost snatched the lead past the half hour. Mo Salah tucked home after charging on to Roberto Firmino’s sublime pass but the goal was belatedly chalked off by VAR for a narrow offside call.
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Mohamed Salah of Liverpool goal decision during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Liverpool at American Express Community Stadium on November 28, 2020 in Brighton, England.
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Klopp responded by bringing Jordan Henderson on at the interval and it paid dividends as they produced a much more assured showing, although James Milner was later withdrawn as the Reds' injury problems continue to mount.
Diogo Jota broke the deadlock on the hour and Liverpool saw another goal ruled out for offside when substitute Sadio Mane headed in late on.
The away side were then left stunned as the referee consulted a pitch side monitor before awarding the spot kick Gross converted, after a review of Andy Robertson’s challenge with Danny Welbeck.
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Pascal Gross of Brighton and Hove Albion celebrates with teammates Solly March, Lewis Dunk, and Adam Webster after scoring his team's first goal during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Liverpool at American Express Community St
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The result sees the Merseysiders edge one point clear of Tottenham ahead of the Lilywhites’ clash with Chelsea on Sunday. Brighton stay 16th.
Liverpool will now aim to secure qualification to the Champions League Last 16 when they host Ajax on Tuesday night, while Brighton will gear up for a south coast showdown at home to Southampton on December 7.
TALKING POINT
More VAR drama. The review system played a huge role in this encounter and once again social media lit up as fans debated its pros and cons.
On the whole, they were correct but the decision to disallow Salah’s first-half strike was a very close call. It conjured up memories of the lines drawn to chalk off Henderson’s winner in the Merseyside derby. The Reds will feel they have already suffered as a result of VAR this season, but they aren’t alone in showing their irritation. Most people who love football are frustrated by the precision margins being used.
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Pascal Gross of Brighton and Hove Albion scores a penalty for his team's first goal during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Liverpool at American Express Community Stadium on November 28, 2020 in Brighton
Image credit: Getty Images
One solution being mooted is a 'margin of error' rule similar to the one being implemented without FIFA backing in the Eredivisie in Holland. They have introduced a 10cm 'linesman’s call' to avoid forensic discussion during the game. Their VAR uses the same crosshair technology but with 5cm wide lines. If those lines are touching, VAR doesn’t intervene and sticks with the original decision. It won't solve some of the problems, but is an interesting alternative.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Jordan Henderson (Liverpool). The introduction of the Liverpool captain invigorated his side and inspired an improved second half. The midfielder can sometimes split opinion, but there’s no doubt he brings leadership and a calm head to the proceedings.
PLAYER RATINGS
BRIGHTON: Ryan 6, Veltman 6, White 7, Dunk 6, Webster 6, Gross 7, Bissouma 6, March 6, Connolly 7, Welbeck 6, Maupay 5. Subs: Trossard 6, Lallana n/a, Jahanbakhsh 6.
LIVERPOOL: Alisson 7, N Williams 5, Phillips 6, Fabinho 6, Robertson 6, Wijnaldum 7, Milner 6, Minamino 5, Jota 7, Firmino 6, Salah 7. Subs: Henderson 7, Mane 6, Jones 6.
KEY MOMENTS
10’ - BRIGHTON CHANCE! Maupay spins in the centre circle and completely splits the Liverpool defence. Connolly is clean through, but somehow manages to fire his shot wide of the far post.
20’ - BRIGHTON MISSED PENALTY! Maupay sends Alisson the wrong way but slots his spot kick wide of the keeper's left-hand post. The penalty was awarded for a foul on Connolly by Williams.
34’ – VAR RULES OUT LIVERPOOL GOAL! – Firmino lobs Alisson's long kick on for Salah. The Reds forward races through and tucks home with aplomb. VAR checks for an age and eventually rules it to be offside. That was tight.
60’ - GOAL! – Brighton 0-1 Liverpool. Jota takes Salah's pass, jinks beyond a couple of challenges and drills a low shot back across the keeper and into the corner.
81’ - BRIGHTON CHANCE! Robertson almost diverts March's cross into his own net after Jahanbakhsh failed to connect with a header.
84' LIVERPOOL GOAL RULED OUT! Mane heads in from a Henderson free kick, but he is offside and VAR rules it out.
90+3’ - GOAL! – Brighton 1-1 Liverpool. Gross drills his spot kick down the middle and Brighton are level! The kick was awarded after VAR intervened. The referee checked the monitor and pointed to the spot after Robertson caught Welbeck trying to clear.
KEY STATS
Maupay is the first player to start a Premier League game, miss a penalty, and be subbed off before half-time since Dennis Bergkamp against Derby in April 1998.
Jota has scored nine goals in 14 appearances for Liverpool in all competitions, including eight in his last eight.
Liverpool have dropped more points from winning positions this season (6) than they did in the whole of last season (5).
This is the first time Liverpool have dropped points in the Premier League thanks to goals scored after 90+ minutes since August 2017, with Miguel Britos' strike earning a 3-3 draw for Watford.
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