Aston Villa could and perhaps should have had a chance to score from the spot.
That’s the verdict from talkSPORT’s Adrian Durham as Villa were denied a penalty in the first half of their clash against Brighton at the Amex Stadium.
In the 37th minute, Villa winger Jacob Ramsey had utterly bamboozled Brighton’s Jack Hinshelwood with a number of step-overs before he pushed the ball off his left.
Hinshelwood dangled out his right leg in a lazy attempt to win the ball but made contact with Ramsey, who subsequently fell to the turf.
Marcus Rashford, who took a penalty during Villa’s 3-0 win over Preston North End in the FA Cup quarter-final last Sunday, would have been preparing for the chance to put his side ahead.
However, referee Stuart Atwell waved away Villa’s protests as the ball trickled out for a goal kick.
But before Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen could take his goal kick, Atwell paused as the VAR wanted another look at the incident.
Unfortunately for the Villans, VAR deemed Atwell had made the right decision as the Premier League Match Centre on X revealed why it was not overturned.
“The referee’s call of no penalty to Aston Villa following a challenge by Hinshelwood on Ramsey was checked and confirmed by VAR – with the contact deemed not to reach the threshold for a foul,” the statement read.
Durham, and no doubt all Villa fans, was left especially perplexed about where the threshold for a foul began.
“Exactly what is that threshold, who has said exactly what that threshold is because all day, every day that is a foul and a penalty,” Durham said.
“I don’t know what they’re looking at and I don’t know who has made up that threshold.”
Stuart Pearce, who was also on commentary duties for talkSPORT, felt Villa would be ‘very, very disappointed’ not to have been given a penalty.
“If I was in the VAR hub, I think I would say to Stuart (Atwell), go and have another look for yourself,” Pearce said.
“You can always turn round and say, look, have another look and then see what you think.
“If you think no, then the choice is yours, but I’d have another look at this one because it’s that close. That would be my viewpoint.
“We know the wording ‘clear and obvious’ comes into it now. But I think if you’re at Stockley Park and you look at that, I think that will divide opinion, that challenge. Some people will say yes, some people will say no. I think yes.
“I would send the referee across to the monitor. I wouldn’t give him guidance in regards to yes, I think it is or no, I don’t. But I would say it’s a grey area. Go and have a look for yourself.”
Although Rashford didn’t get the opportunity to score from the spot, the second half was only six minutes old when he had the ball in the back of the net.
Emi Martinez plucked a Brighton corner out of the air and rolled it into the path of Morgan Rogers.
The England international spotted Rashford had set off like a Ferrari through the middle and sprayed a ball directly into his path.
With only Brighton’s Verbruggen to beat, Rashford coolly slotted home for his first league goal since joining Villa and his third in his last two games.
Fellow loanee Marco Asensio doubled Villa’s delight in the 78th minute as he tucked away a cut-back from Rogers.
