Why was Brighton’s ‘handball’ equaliser vs West Ham allowed to stand? | OneFootball

Brighton left it late to rescue a result against West Ham this weekend, as Georginio Rutter fired in a 91st-minute equaliser at the Amex Stadium.

The Seagulls snatched a point in contentious fashion, as Rutter’s stoppage-time effort cancelled out Jarrod Bowen’s opener for the visitors.

The Frenchman appeared to handle the ball in the build-up to the goal, but VAR decided there had been no infringement.

While the ball did strike Rutter’s arm ahead of his equaliser, the initial effort he had on goal was saved. Rutter received the ball back from Jan Paul van Hecke before scoring at the second attempt, which had an impact on VAR’s decision.

The Premier League Match Centre deemed that Rutter’s arm was in a ‘natural position’ and the contact did not come ‘immediately prior to him scoring’. In a statement, the PLMC said: “The referee’s call of goal was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed that Rutter’s arm was in a natural position and he did not deliberately handle the ball, and the contact with the arm was not immediately prior to him scoring.”

Read – Rutter admits he was ‘scared’ VAR would disallow Brighton equaliser

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