'Pathetic': Ian Wright says Tottenham actually got away with penalty decision Arsenal didn't on Saturday

01/05/2025 09:45 AM

It seems increasingly likely that until the next weekend of Premier League football, all things Arsenal will be centered around Joao Pedro’s controversial penalty in their 1-1 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion.

Joao Pedro felt William Saliba “hit” him and as a result, the penalty was justly awarded.

However, Gary Lineker’s verdict on Pedro’s penalty was that it was a bizarre decision as he had only clashed heads with Saliba.

Brighton were awarded a penalty against Arsenal as the contact initiated by the Arsenal centre-back was deemed sufficient enough to hand a spot-kick before the Brazilian scored with aplomb.

Ian Wright was angered as Mikel Arteta’s side dropped two more points in the Premier League title race.

Ian Wright questions Arsenal-Brighton penalty after controversial Tottenham-Newcastle decision

The Arsenal legend’s frustration stemmed from the fact that Dejan Kulusevski barged into Anthony Gordon in Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-1 loss against Newcastle United, leading to the latter’s nose bleeding, an action that was left unpunished. Yet, Saliba’s duel with Pedro was deemed a foul and an eventual penalty.

Ian Wright told Premier League Productions via Optus Sport: “I watched Kulusevski and Anthony Gordon today and I’m thinking, they’ve not given that as a pen but they can give this as a pen? Where’s the consistency? It’s pathetic. Kulusevski’s nearly broken his nose, he’s [Saliba] just gone to try and head the ball here.”

“I don’t know what to believe anymore, I don’t know what! Because I saw that that one wasn’t a pen but this is? Come on man, it’s ridiculous! We’ve got the worst in Europe in respect of the decisions they make, the worst I’ve seen, these lot.”

Dermot Gallagher says Brighton got deserved penalty vs Arsenal as William Saliba fouled Joao Pedro

Dermot Gallagher felt Brighton were awarded a deserved penalty against Arsenal as the former Premier League referee felt Saliba caught Pedro.

Gallagher told Premier League Productions (04/01/2025, 1:45 pm): “I think he’s unlucky, he goes to head the ball, there’s no doubt about it but if you see, the ball gets moved on there, he goes to try and head the ball but he catches him on the head.”

“There’s the ball moved away, then he comes in, catches him, I think once you do that, it’s a foul for me. If that happens on that halfway circle, the referee gives a foul so I think a penalty.”

However, Gallagher felt Kulusevski’s barge on Gordon should also have been a spot-kick, saying: “I think this is a penalty as well. I think it’s a penalty anyhow because of how he catches him, shoulders up, he catches him in the face, he catches him in the nose, he’s nowhere near.”