Fabian Hurzeler was left incensed as Iliman Ndiaye’s controversial first-half penalty secured Everton a 1-0 victory over Brighton, moving the Toffees seven points clear of the relegation zone.
The win marked a milestone for Everton manager David Moyes, who celebrated his 700th top-flight game in charge.
Ndiaye converted the penalty after Brighton defender Joel Veltman was penalized for handball, following a VAR review that overturned the initial decision.
Brighton’s players and fans were visibly frustrated, arguing that Veltman was fouled while attempting to clear the ball under pressure from Everton substitute Beto.
As Veltman fell, the ball brushed his right hand, prompting referee Tim Robinson to consult the pitch-side monitor and ultimately award the spot-kick.
The Premier League matchday center provided an explanation:
“The VAR checked for a potential penalty for handball by Veltman and deemed it as a deliberate action and recommended an on-field review. The referee then awarded a penalty to Everton.”
Hurzeler, however, strongly disagreed with the decision, expressing his frustration after the game:
“So, the VR can’t get into this situation, if the referee decides like this, then you should play on it, and the VAR is not necessary.
“Yeah, it’s not a clear handball, or you see it as a clear handball. You didn’t doubt it.”
When asked if he had spoken to Veltman about the incident, Hurzeler added:
“He felt the touch. And when he felt the touch, then of course the normal reaction is that the hands are coming and then the hand went onto the ball.”
Meanwhile, Moyes had a contrasting view of the decision, defending the referee’s call in his post-match comments:
“It was definitely a penalty. I can understand they think there is pressure from Beto, that’s Beto’s job. My feeling is that it was a penalty.
“It ended up a great result for us. Really important for us, we are too close to the bottom. A lot of belief coming back. Brighton put us to the sword, but we got the goal that mattered.”
Despite relentless second-half pressure from the hosts, Brighton failed to find an equalizer, leaving Hurzeler and his team to rue a contentious decision that ultimately proved decisive.
