'Stops it' – Dermot Gallagher gives Ref Watch verdict after major Brighton and Leicester decision

Ex-Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher believes Brighton’s two penalties during their 2-2 draw against Leicester City were spot-on.

VAR intervened twice for the ninth-placed Seagulls, who were seeking to bounce back from successive defeats to Aston Villa and Crystal Palace, twice led thanks to a pair of Joao Pedro penalties.

But Caleb Okoli headed home his maiden goal in English football 16 minutes from time to snap second-bottom Leicester’s eight-match losing run after Stephy Mavididi ended the visitors’ 798-minute top-flight goal drought with a first-half equaliser.

The first of Brighton’s spot-kicks saw Foxes defender Conor Coady repell Simon Adingra’s goal-bound effort with his left arm inside the six-yard box and, following a VAR check, Pedro sent Hermansen the wrong way to find the bottom-left corner from the spot.

"I think so,” said Gallagher on Sky Sports Ref Watch. “He puts his arm out to stop the ball going in. The other thing is what colour card is he going to get. There is a defender behind him which stops it from being a red card.”

Stephen Warnock, also on Ref Watch duty, added: “You can see the lean and the movement of the left shoulder down towards the ground. Then the arm comes out so it is the right decision.”

Brighton regained the lead 10 minutes after the restart. Matt O’Riley was dragged back by Luke Thomas in the box and, following another VAR intervention, Pedro confidently dispatched the ball into the top-right corner.

Gallagher added: “This going to split people without a doubt. I think it is a penalty. He holds on to his shirt for too long. The big argument is why is sent to the screen. Does it meet the threshold. Well, for me, I think it is a penalty so I would send him t the screen myself.

Warnock said: “I thought it was soft. My big thing is why do O'Riley's legs suddenly go from underneath him. His body goes limp, is that to make sure he gets it? “Overexaggerate it. I'm still torn on it. If someone grabs hold of your top half, you would hold your ground and be stronger. It’s soft how he goes down, he has done that just to win a penalty.”

Sky Sports pundit Sue Smith added: “I think it is a penalty. Prolonged holding. He is twisting him around and that is a penalty.”

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