Stoke City captain Ryan Shawcross admits Brighton and Hove Albion should have had a penalty after he appeared to bring striker Glenn Murray down in the box.
In an enthralling draw at the Amex Stadium, Murray was denied a clear shot on the Stoke goal late in the first half when he was taken out by Shawcross’ rash slide tackle.
Referee Lee Mason waved away Murray’s claims, but replays appeared to prove that the defender made no contact with the ball and, speaking to Sky Sports after the game, he admits he should have been punished.
Ryan Shawcross and Glenn Murray shared a TV interview with Sky Sports after the game
Shawcross appeared to foul Murray in the box during the 2-2 draw at the Amex Stadium
Shawcross said: ‘We’re trying to kick diving out the game and this is what happens. I think I clipped him, but the ref has not got the best of angles. It probably is a penalty.
‘The attacking players on the pitch, we’ve got a lot, they have got a lot, so it was end to end which was not what we wanted as the away team, but bits of quality there for both teams.’
In response, Brighton striker Murray was philosophical about the incident. Instead of criticising the referee in charge, he merely exclaimed his hope that Brighton’s luck with decisions evens out over the course of their debut Premier League campaign.
He said: ‘I walked in, he (Mason) said it was a dive, but I’m not sure. I think I stopped before it went out so it’s just one of those things that through the course of the season it will even itself out.’
The Stoke City captain failed to make contact with the ball but brought down Murray
Brighton’s calls for a penalty after the challenge were dismissed by referee Lee Mason
Mason’s mistake is likely to spark fresh debate over the introduction of Video Assistant Referees (VARs) in English football. Sportsmail’s Graham Poll claimed the technology would have taken under 10 seconds to reverse the decision.
While the debate rages, the two Premier League stars gave predictable answers when asked for their opinion on the matter.
In response to a question about VAR, Shawcross said: ‘Now I think football is great the way it is!’
Murray responded: ‘I would have liked it tonight.’