‘A big problem’ – did VAR get Southampton’s disallowed goal wrong?

Southampton boss Russell Martin says the video assistant referee (VAR) system is a “big problem” for the Premier League if it is disallowing goals like Cameron Archer’s against Brighton.

Archer appeared to have put Saints ahead at Amex Stadium on Friday, only for the strike to be chalked off when team-mate Adam Armstrong was deemed to be offside.

It took more than four minutes for the controversial decision to be made after a VAR check, with the level of Armstrong’s interference with play questionable.

It left Martin furious as his bottom-of-the-table side were denied a first Premier League away win of the season as the game ended 1-1.

“My problem is that the on-field decision carries weight,” Martin told the BBC. “You either have VAR to correct problems or not – and when it’s a goal it’s a big problem.

“If a decision is made in the heat of the moment you can accept it, but when you have so much time and we have to wait on the side of the pitch for so long and the decision is still, in my opinion, that the goalkeeper has been affected when he’s not – that’s a problem.

“I understand why they would give it in the heat of the moment but that’s why VAR is there.”

Saints had fought back superbly after Brighton led through Kaoru Mitoma’s 29th-minute opener.

Flynn Downes levelled in the 59th minute, before Archer thought he had claimed the crucial winner when he turned in Ryan Fraser’s left-wing cross.

While the draw moved Brighton up to second spot, Saints – who have just one win this term – are on five points from 13 league games and four adrift of safety.

Fraser’s brilliant cross from the left was tapped home at the far post by Archer as Southampton looked to have completed an unlikely turnaround.

The assistant referee did actually flag for offside, but it was extremely tight and VAR subsequently spent several minutes checking Archer’s position, with the Saints forward eventually being ruled onside by the barest of margins.

However, that was not the end of it.

There was then a further check to decide whether Armstrong, who was clearly offside at the near post, had interfered with play as the ball came in.

The forward had overrun in trying to meet the cross, but flicked out a leg behind him, albeit not seeming to connect with the ball.

However, although the cross had already gone past Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke and goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen was rooted to his line, it was ruled that Armstrong’s attempt to connect with the ball was significant enough for the goal to be ruled out.

Although Armstrong failed to touch the ball, according to Law 11 a player is deemed to be offside if they are interfering with an opponent by:

According to the Premier League, Archer’s goal was chalked off because “Armstrong was in an offside position and deemed to be impacting Verbruggen’s ability to play the ball”.

Martin and Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler squared up to each other at the end of the match at Amex Stadium, as both bosses accused each other of a lack of respect.

After 13 minutes of added time, partly because of the break in play caused by VAR, both benches became embroiled in arguments.

The managers were booked during the match – Hurzeler for waving an imaginary yellow card in the first half. It was his third caution of the season, meaning he will serve a touchline ban when Brighton travel to Fulham in midweek.

Martin was shown a card for his reaction to more protesting from the Brighton boss after a foul by Downes, who was already on a yellow card before scoring Southampton’s equaliser.

“That’s exactly what I said at half-time,” said Hurzeler of Downes. “Then he makes another foul.

“There’s no explanation, it changes the game. But you have to be very careful what you say in England. My yellow card I can’t understand.”

On Martin, the German boss added: “For me it’s just important to have respect. It’s important to respect each other and how you talk to each other. That’s how I was educated.”

But Martin was clearly unimpressed and responded: “The manager decided to say something about respect. I’ve never known a manager try to get as many players booked as that. Respect is reciprocal. It’s mutual.”