Brighton ended their eight-game winless run in the Premier League with a 2-0 win over Ipswich – in a game where the decision not to send Joao Pedro off was the major talking point.
With the Seagulls frustrated by Ipswich at the start of the second half, Brighton forward Pedro appeared to jump into home goalkeeper Christian Walton off the ball while trying to catch a back-pass.
Referee Tony Harrington delayed his decision before brandishing a yellow card, with VAR agreeing with the call.
The incident became even more significant when, six minutes later, former Brighton goalkeeper Walton let Kaoru Mitoma’s shot go through his hands and into the net to break the deadlock of a slow-starting game.
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Was Brighton’s Joao Pedro lucky to only receive a yellow for this challenge on Ipswich goalkeeper Christian Walton?
“I’ve not watched it back. I think he’s left a little bit on the goalkeeper. I think he knows what he’s doing,” said Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna. “It’s football, it happens.
“The referee gives the yellow card and dealt with it. It’s not something that we’re going to cry about too much.”
Asked about the incident, Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler said: “He comes too late, yes. He has no bad purpose, he doesn’t want to hurt him. I don’t see a red card for this challenge.”
Kaoru Mitoma celebrates scoring Brighton’s opener
Brighton then made changes to consolidate their authority on the game and one of the substitutes in Georginio Rutter doubled the lead with a clever flick from a set-piece. VAR checked whether Lewis Dunk was obscuring Walton’s view as the shot went in, but deemed the Brighton defender onside.
That second goal was particularly damaging for Ipswich as it took them back into the relegation zone on goal difference. McKenna’s side failed to make use of a slack Brighton first half, with Nathan Broadhead, Liam Delap and Omari Hutchinson all denied by solid Bart Verbruggen stops.
Georginio Rutter came off the bench to double Brighton’s lead
For Brighton, however, the victory lifts them into the top half and ends their longest winless run since December 2021, when Graham Potter’s Seagulls went 11 games without a win.
The big incident – have your say!
Joao Pedro collided with Ipswich goalkeeper Christian Walton as he tried to collect a backpass
Walton needed treatment at Pedro was given a yellow card
Five minutes later, Walton let Mitoma’s shot go through his hands to give Brighton the lead
Pedro has been there before…
Sky Sports’ Sam Blitz:
It is not the first time Joao Pedro has been involved in an incident where his intent is being questioned.
On December 27, Pedro avoided a red card against Brentford despite swinging his elbow out at Brentford’s Yehor Yarmoliuk. The Brazilian did not make contact with the midfielder, even though the Laws of the Game state that “attempting to use excessive force” warrants a sending off.
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Brighton’s Pedro was cleared of a red card by VAR and no further action was taken against the Brazilian after appearing to swing an elbow towards Brentford’s Yehor Yarmolyuk
How does this compare to this situation? It’s a tough one to call and referee Tony Harrington did take his time in making his mind up, despite calls from Ipswich players and fans at Portman Road to take the strongest action possible.
Pedro appears to jump into Walton – which could be deemed excessive – but is the Brighton forward trying to get out the way of the goalkeeper? As soon as Harrington branded the yellow card, it would have been difficult for VAR to overturn it.
But it still feels right to say that Pedro is lucky. Another referee may have taken a harder sanction.
McKenna: First goal changed the game
Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna:
“I thought we had more threat and got the ball in better areas. I think we finished the first half strongly, started the second half even better.
“And we were the better team until their first goal which was their first real threat on our goal. We defended the situation not as well as we would have liked and we should have stopped the goal. And it changed the game really.
“From our point of view, I think the first goal changed the game disproportionately to what we would have wanted. But I think we could have found a better reaction than what we did.
“But it looked like our confidence dropped in the game. Theirs certainly went up and they have very good substitutes who brought them confidence and they were the better team in the last 30 minutes.”
Hurzeler: Brighton should get some confidence back
Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler:
“Overall we controlled the game, we defended quite well. Especially in the second half we managed to get more chances. We stayed in our structure and played more vertical in the second half and felt we deserved the win.
“The game always opens when you score a goal because the opponents have to react, defend higher, press higher and gives us more space in behind – we were able to use that.
“For me it’s very important that we focus on and trust the process. We had better performances in the last eight games and we didn’t win the games. Today, we played okay, we were solid but it was not the best performance from us.
“This win should give us self-confidence and the belief back.”
