Match of the Day pundit Micah Richards felt that Brighton were lucky to be awarded their second penalty in the 2-2 draw against Leicester City. The Seagulls were booed off the pitch at the Amex Stadium after failing to bounce back from successive defeats to Aston Villa and Crystal Palace.
Joao Pedro scored two penalties for Brighton, giving them a lead on both occasions. However, Richards questioned the second penalty, saying that he wasn’t sure it was a clear and obvious error. The VAR check showed Matt O’Riley being bundled to the floor by Luke Thomas, but Richards felt that the referee’s initial decision not to give the penalty should have stood.
Fellow pundit Alan Shearer agreed with the first penalty, saying that Conor Coady got his arm in the way of Simon Adingra’s goalbound effort, making it a clear penalty. “He gets it from about 12 yards away from him, so definitely a penalty,” Shearer said.
Despite dominating parts of the match, Brighton squandered several chances and were fortunate to escape with a point. Leicester hit the post in the closing stages, and the Seagulls could have easily lost. Bilal El Khannouss struck the right post in the 87th minute during a strong finish from the Foxes, highlighting Brighton’s defensive vulnerability.
Brighton’s manager, Fabian Hurzeler, acknowledged that it wasn’t the team’s best performance, especially in the second half. He said that the team didn’t give their best and would have to apologize to the fans. Hurzeler accepted that the fans had the right to boo, but he emphasized that the team would strive to do better next time.
The draw dealt a blow to Brighton’s quest for European qualification, and the team will need to regroup and improve their performance if they want to achieve their goal. The booing from the fans reflected their frustration and disappointment with the team’s recent performances.
