VAR denies Southampton EPL win, managers square up

Southampton are furious after being denied a priceless victory by a controversial VAR decision in a 1-1 draw at Brighton, with the managers also squaring up with each other after the match. Flynn Downes had just cancelled out Kaoru Mitoma's opener when Cameron Archer converted a cross from Saints substitute Ryan Fraser. A VAR check of more than four minutes eventually decided Archer was onside but then penalised Adam Armstrong, who was offside but did not touch the ball, for interfering with play. It meant the Saints, still rock bottom of the Premier League, had to settle for a first away point of the season on Friday. The point was enough though to lift Brighton up to second, level on points and goal difference with Manchester City. The hosts dominated the first half but only had Mitoma's goal to show for it. They almost took the lead following an early Southampton corner, with Yasin Ayari leading the break before aiming for Mitoma. Defender Yukinari Sugawara should have dealt with the pass but was knocked off the ball by his Japan colleague. With Saints keeper and Premier League debutant Joe Lumley hastily back-pedalling into position, Mitoma probably should have scored but steered his finish wide. Georginio Rutter's drive then whistled past Lumley's right-hand post, before the midfielder went even closer when his curler clipped the opposite upright. Brighton's pressure was rewarded in the 29th minute after a cross from fit-again right-back Tariq Lamptey. The ball actually bounced in front of Mitoma, but he threw himself forward and powered a spectacular header past Lumley into the net. Southampton could have snatched an equaliser through Archer just before the interval. The striker met a dangerous cross from Sugawara at the near post, but the ball bounced up onto his shin and flew wide. However, the Saints did haul themselves level 13 minutes into the second half with the impressive Tyler Dibling the architect. The teenager's square ball teed up Armstrong, whose shot was blocked, as was his follow-up effort. But the loose ball found its way to Downes, who hammered it home first time from the edge of the area. Eight minutes later Dibling brilliantly wriggled clear of three Brighton players inside his own half and then spread the ball to Fraser. The midfielder's low cross evaded Armstrong and was finished at the far post by Archer - only to be chalked off to the dismay of boss Russell Martin. The official explanation was that "Armstrong was in an offside position and deemed to be impacting (goalkeeper Bart) Verbruggen's ability to play the ball". There was more drama towards the end of 13 minutes of added time when Seagulls substitute Simon Adingra's effort beat Lumley but flicked the outside of the far post. After the match both Martin and counterpart Fabian Hurzeler squared up to each other. The managers had also been booked during the match - Brighton boss Hurzeler for waving an imaginary yellow card in the first half and Martin for his reaction to more protesting from the Brighton boss after a foul by Downes, who was on a yellow card and probably lucky to still be on the pitch. Pressed on his altercation with Martin after the final whistle, the German 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." Martin was clearly unimpressed with his opposite number's touchline antics. "The manager decided to say something about respect," he said. "I've never known a manager try to get as many players booked as that. Respect is reciprocal. It's mutual."