VAR actually made a serious mistake during West Ham 1-1 Brighton
West Ham United put up a strong fight to equalize against Brighton & Hove Albion at the London Stadium, but they were somewhat fortunate to hold onto their draw in the final moments.
Brighton had several great opportunities to secure all three points, with goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski making a number of crucial saves to preserve the draw.
Having gone unbeaten in their last three games, West Ham appear to have weathered their recent struggles. However, manager Julen Lopetegui will still need to motivate the team to perform better.
With a tough set of fixtures ahead over the festive period, West Ham’s management will not tolerate any further decline in their position.
That said, some home fans may still be dissatisfied with the decisions made by referee Rob Jones and VAR following Saturday’s 1-1 draw.
In the 84th minute, Brighton’s Pervis Estupinan committed a foul on Max Kilman that many felt warranted a red card. Estupinan was shown a yellow card by Jones for a two-footed tackle that made significant contact with Kilman’s left shin.
Jones was in close proximity to the foul, which left Kilman visibly in pain. Despite VAR reviewing the incident, they chose not to overturn the decision, keeping the yellow card in place.
The tackle seemed reckless, mistimed, and dangerous, with Kilman fortunate to avoid injury. Given the circumstances, many expected a red card, but VAR upheld Jones’ original decision.
The Premier League Match Centre later clarified the situation on X, explaining that VAR reviewed the challenge for a potential red card but determined that Jones’ call was not “clearly and obviously wrong.”
While Jones did have a slightly obstructed view, it seemed like a situation where VAR could have stepped in to assist. Although no one wants to see players sent off, Estupinan’s tackle appeared worthy of a red card, and he should have been sent off.
Meanwhile, West Ham supporters also raised questions about Niclas Fullkrug’s performance, as he was substituted after just 57 minutes against Brighton.
