Sunderland AFC were held to a 1-1 draw by Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday afternoon, with Enzo Le Fee's late penalty ensuring the Black Cats left west London with a point.
Regis Le Bris' side dominated possession in the first half, but saw a Dan Ballard goal ruled out by VAR after a lengthy review. Brentford took the lead through a volley from inside the area past Robin Roefs, before Le Fee converted from the spot after Keane Lewis-Potter was adjudged to have dragged Wilson Isidor to the turf.
VAR controversy
The Premier League's official website states that VAR can be used to overturn a subjective decision if a 'clear and obvious error' has been identified. However, the decision to rule out Ballard's opener, which took VAR around eight minutes to reach, has been questioned.
Officials cleared an offside before deeming Kevin Danso, standing in an offside position, to be obscuring Caoimhin Kelleher's view of the shot. The distance between the defender and the keeper suggested the ball was still in sight, and the lack of consistency in such calls remains a concern.
Brian B-robbery
Brian Brobbey arguably should have had a penalty in the first half after Jannik Schuster grabbed the striker's shirt in Brentford's area. The Dutchman, known for his strength, rarely gets free-kicks where other, less physically gifted players do, a trend that has been noted by supporters.
Formation change and Talbi's future
Le Bris strayed from his regular 4-3-3, utilising a 3-4-2-1 with Danso, Le Fee and Nilson Angulo operating as attacking midfielders. The shape looked compact in defence and controlled the midfield, though it remains to be seen whether it will be used against Arsenal at the Stadium of Light.
Chemsdine Talbi was not included in the travelling squad, despite training with his team-mates this week. The Moroccan international has been linked with a move away from Wearside, with interest from the Saudi Pro League, and the transfer window in the Middle East remains open until mid-October.
