
<p>The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (<a href="https://www.premierleague.com/referees" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PGMOL</a>) has admitted VAR made a mistake in Tottenham’s controversial 2-1 win over Brighton on Saturday. </p>



<p>Referee chief Howard Webb contacted Brighton to apologize for the mistake.</p>



<p>A thrilling match that pitted two contenders for European football against each other saw numerous controversies, one of which came in the 72nd minute with the game tied 1-1. </p>



<h5>Brighton penalty claims denied</h5>



<p><a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/tottenham-edge-past-brighton-with-controversy-packed-2-1-win-20230408-WST-427493.html">Brighton</a> winger Kaoru Mitoma, controlling the ball off a deflected corner, jumped up in the air while searching for an opportunity to get his shot off. </p>



<p>However, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tottenham-tv-schedule/">Spurs</a> midfielder Pierre-Emile Højbjerg stomped on Mitoma’s foot as he landed. Lead referee Stuart Atwell waved off penalty shouts from Brighton players, and a VAR check seemingly backed Atwell up. </p>



<p>The Seagulls have had a lot of bad luck concerning VAR; from 10 decisions involving VAR, only two have gone their way. </p>



<p>If VAR had reversed Atwell’s decision, Brighton would likely go 2-1 up and win the match. Instead, Tottenham won the game thanks to a Højbjerg cut-back that found an un-marked Harry Kane. The loss took Brighton’s odds of qualifying for the Champions League from 22% down to 10%, per <em>FiveThirtyEight</em>.</p>



<p>The game was packed with drama. </p>



<p>Brighton had two goals chalked off; one in the 17th minute because of Mitoma allegedly hit the ball with his hand while scoring and one in the 55th minute because Alexis MacAllister deflected in Danny Welbeck’s shot with his hand. </p>



<h5>De Zerbi and Stellini clash</h5>



<p>Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi and Spurs caretaker Cristian Stellini both earned red cards for a touchline scuffle that saw both coaching staffs exchange heated words and shoves. </p>



<p>Although Stellini did not scuffle, Atwell chose to send him off because of his role in instigating the fight.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-youtube"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Tottenham Hotspur v. Brighton | PREMIER LEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS | 4/8/2023 | NBC Sports" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/x8DRxNWt27U?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
</div></figure>



<p>Tottenham opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a stunning Heung-min Son goal.</p>



<p>Lewis Dunk responded in the 34th minute, rising over Ivan Perisic to get his head onto a Solly March cross.</p>



<p>Brighton will play Chelsea away from home on Saturday to try to break into the top six, while Spurs will play relegation candidates Bournemouth at home on Saturday.</p>



<p>Photo credit: IMAGO / PA Images</p>


The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) has admitted VAR made a mistake in Tottenham's controversial 2-1 win over Brighton.

Spurs luck out as ref missed penalty for Brighton, admits Webb - World Soccer Talk

Spurs luck out as ref missed penalty for Brighton, admits Webb


<p>After leaving the referees’ body PGMOL <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/64683971" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">by mutual consent</a>, Lee Mason will no longer be officiating games in the Premier League. </p>



<p>The 51-year-old who has been referring in the top flight for over 15 years departs days after his mistake during <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/arsenal-held-at-home-by-brentford-20230211-WST-419454.html">Arsenal’s 1-1 draw against Brentford</a> earlier this month.</p>



<h5>Arsenal VAR decision  </h5>



<p>Mason, who was the Video Assistant referee during the match failed to disallow Ivan Toney’s equalizer in the 74<sup>th</sup> minute after it later appeared that Christian Norgaard was offside leading to the goal. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">PGMOL can confirm its Chief Refereeing Officer Howard Webb has contacted both Arsenal and Brighton &amp; Hove Albion to acknowledge and explain the significant errors in the VAR process in their respective Premier League fixtures on Saturday. <a href="https://t.co/dCDkooxhxf">pic.twitter.com/dCDkooxhxf</a></p>— PGMOL (@FA_PGMOL) <a href="https://twitter.com/FA_PGMOL/status/1624765372204257282?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>The decision would later have a massive impact on the Premier League title race as it allowed reigning Champions <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/where-to-find-nottingham-forest-vs-manchester-city-on-us-tv-20230218-WST-419923.html">Manchester City to close the gap</a> on Arsenal. City also went top of the standings in midweek when they beat the Gunners at the Emirates on Wednesday.</p>



<h5>PGMOL statement</h5>



<p>A statement from PGMOL read, “Lee was a Premier League referee for 15 years and oversaw 287 top-flight matches during that time, with his last coming during the closing stages of the 2021/22 season. </p>



<p>His full career in the professional game saw the 51-year-old officiate in over 500 fixtures after he progressed to the Football League in 1998. </p>



<p>We would like to thank Lee for his dedicated service to the professional game and wish him all the best for the future.”</p>



<p>PGMOL’s Chief Referring Officer Howard Webb later contacted Arsenal to acknowledge and explain the error.</p>



<p>However, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta didn’t buy the apology claiming, “It wasn’t human error, it was not understanding your job. It cost Arsenal two points that are not going to be restored so we are going to have to find those two points somewhere else in the league.”</p>



<p>Mason had also been responsible for several VAR errors this season. This includes the decision that led to Arsenal’s opening goal against Manchester United in September which was also disallowed.</p>



<p>Photo credit: IMAGO / PA Images</p>


After leaving the referees’ body PGMOL by mutual consent, Lee Mason will no longer be officiating games in the Premier League.

ALL POSTS TAGGED "PMGOL"

Brighton and Hove Albion

Spurs luck out as ref missed penalty for Brighton, admits Webb

Leagues: EPL

Lee Mason won’t referee in Premier League after quitting PGMOL