Wood in double dose of drama
All Whites striker Chris Wood was involved in a double dose of drama during Burnley’s 1-0 English Premier League defeat to Southampton yesterday.
A fifth-minute goal to former Burnley man Danny Ings had given the visitors to Turf Moor an early lead, and that’s the way it stayed, after the injury-depleted hosts were denied a couple of chances involving Wood.
The 28-year-old first had a penalty appeal turned down midway through the first half when defender Jan Bednarek had his hands on his back and Wood fell to the turf.
Then, after the break, there was more controversy.
After Wood had gone close to an equaliser with a header which Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy kept out with a flying save, it looked like he had got his team on the board in the 56th minute.
Having got in behind the Saints defence to latch onto a long pass, Wood carried on his run and chipped over McCarthy to then slot home, only for assistant referee Scott Ledger to have already flagged for offside.
However, under VAR rules, officials are instructed not to flag or whistle until a move is complete, which led to frustration in the Burnley ranks, believing their striker was onside.
A VAR check on the goal was then unavailable due to an apparent issue with the headset of referee Andre Marriner, who complained of being unable to hear VAR Mike Dean at the Stockley Park hub.
Replays later showed Wood was indeed offside.
Elsewhere yesterday, there was late drama in two of the three other fixtures.
Manchester United beat Brighton 3-2 at Falmer Stadium after Bruno Fernandes stroked home a penalty with the clock approaching 100 minutes.
After Solly March had equalised for Brighton in the fifthminute of stoppage time, there was still time for United, who earned a penalty when Harry Maguire’s goalbound header glanced off the flailing arm of Brighton striker Neal Maupay before being cleared off the line.
Referee Chris Kavanagh immediately blew the final whistle, only to be surrounded by United players calling for handball to be given. Kavanagh reviewed the incident on the pitchside monitor and awarded a penalty, much to the anger of Brighton’s players who remonstrated with him.
When the chaos died down, Fernandes kept his cool to convert from the spot.
At The Hawthorns, hosts West Bromwich Albion had a three-goal lead after 27 minutes against Chelsea, only for the visitors to fight back for a 3-3 draw, with Tammy Abraham netting in the third minute of stoppage time.
In the other match, visitors Everton beat Crystal Palace 2-1 at Selhurst Park Stadium, to make it the first time since 1993 that they have won their opening three games of a season.