Howard Webb admits yet another VAR mistake as decision costs Brighton three points against Tottenham

Referee chief Howard Webb has been in touch with Brighton to apologise for a mistake that could well have cost them a massive three points in their race for European football, it has been revealed.

The Seagulls travelled to north London to take on Tottenham knowing that a win would take them to within a point of the Lilywhites and fifth place as they look to bring European football to the South Coast for the first time in the club’s history.

And, with the game tied at 1-1, they seemed set to be handed a stonewall penalty when a replay showed that Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg had stood on Kaoru Mitoma’s foot inside the penalty area, only for both the referee and VAR to wave away the claims.

It was one of several bizarre decisions, with a seemingly blatant shirt-pull on Lewis Dunk also going unpunished minutes later and Brighton having a goal ruled out, before Tottenham went up the other end and found an undeserved winner through Harry Kane to lift themselves seven points clear of the Seagulls and keep in touch with Manchester United and Newcastle in the top four race.

Brighton robbed the consensus and @SpursOfficial gain 3 points after 4 big decisions go their way & they stay in touch with @ManUtd & @NUFC:

🚩Mitoma disallowed goal
🚩Welbeck disallowed goal
🚩 Mitoma penalty not given
🚩Dunk penalty not given

Investigate the @FA_PGMOL ASAP🕵️‍♂️ https://t.co/lrIK7fflkT pic.twitter.com/Byzb4leqK2

— Football W/Out Fairness Is Nothing (@FootballBofI) April 8, 2023

And on Sunday morning, it was once again announced that Howard Webb was apologising for the incompetence of his VAR staff, having had to sack Lee Mason after his failure to draw the offside lines for Arsenal’s clash with Brentford, which ended all square in February.

PGMOL chief Howard Webb has been in touch with @OfficialBHAFC to admit Hojbjerg tackle on Mitoma yesterday should have been a penalty.

— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) April 9, 2023

It remains to be seen what sort of punishment is doled out for Michael Salisbury, the latest to misuse the technology available to him, with John Brooks having been suspended for a week after a similar incident also involving Brighton earlier in the season.