It was an incident that neither Thomas Frank nor Fabian Hurzeler could agree on – whether Brighton forward Joao Pedro should have been sent off for violent conduct.
As it ended 0-0 on a cold and misty night at the Amex Stadium, the main talking point was a 75th-minute flashpoint that began in bizarre fashion and almost ended up getting nasty.
Pedro was originally the victim.
Brentford’s Yehor Yarmoliuk had been pulling at the striker’s shirt, as the Brighton man looked to race at the away goal, with the Ukrainian getting a yellow card.
But Pedro then swung an elbow, although he clearly missed the visiting player. On-pitch official Andy Madley took no action and the incident was checked by the video assistant referee (VAR), but there was no suggestion for Madley to review the incident.
‘It’s an interesting opinion’
It was fair to say both managers had a different view.
Brentford boss Frank, who had seen his side gain only their second away point of the season, spoke in his news conference first and when asked if it should have been a red card, said: “Yes. As I understand the rules, you can’t swing an arm to hit someone, whether you hit them or not.
“That’s why we have got VAR. It happened, we have to make it [VAR] better in the future.”
But Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, whose side have now gone six games without a Premier League win, did not see the incident the same way.
When told of Frank’s words, he replied: “It’s an interesting opinion, I see it completely different. For me it’s not a red card, why would it be a red card? You just try to get free from someone.”
Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg, speaking to Amazon Prime said: “If we look at the laws of the game as it’s written, it has to be ‘to strike an opponent or attempt to strike an opponent’.
“Because there was no contact he can’t be sent off the field of play for the contact. Therefore, it’s whether he attempted to strike the opponent.
“The more I look at it, because it’s an unusual action, especially from behind he is looking towards Andy Madley when he swings his arm. He keeps his arm quite close to his body and I think it’s more of a gesture to the referee.
“Andy Madley is in a very good position. Joao Pedro couldn’t have been sent off for the contact but he could have been sent off for the attempted contact. I believe it’s a gesture more than an attempted strike.
“I think Joao Pedro makes a gesture to the referee but if he wanted to swing and use brutality he would have swung his arm out and created contact.”
Returning March almost makes the headlines
The headlines could have forgotten about the Pedro incident, if the returning Solly March, on for the last few minutes after being out of action for 14 months following a serious knee injury, had converted a late opportunity when given time to shoot from the edge of the box.
In October 2023, he suffered a serious knee injury late on during Brighton’s 2-1 loss away at Manchester City and was named among the substitutes for the first time this season.
He received a standing ovation as he came on but his effort in the 94th minute went well over the bar.
“I had a bit too much time and a bit too much thinking,” March told Amazon Prime. “I just changed my mind a few times too many. I should have just gone with first instinct across goal.”
Talking about his return to action, he added: “It has been a long time coming. It has been a tough 14 months or so, a long road and there’s still a way to go to get my match fitness where it needs to be.
“It’s different in training, one or two runs and I was blowing. The more minutes I get, the better I will get and hopefully I’ll get back to where I was.
“It has been tough. It’s my third serious injury now. Every time you do it then it will take longer but I’ve had great support behind me. I want to be playing every week and scoring goals.”
