Brighton boss Graham Potter wants to move on from his side’s latest VAR controversy and instead make the improvements needed in their own performance to climb the Premier League table.
The Seagulls went down 2-1 at home to Southampton on Monday night after Danny Ings converted a late penalty – which had originally been given as a free-kick just outside the area before David Coote’s decision was overturned following a lengthy review.
Potter accepts officials, both on the pitch and watching screens in the VAR Hub at Stockley Park, are only human, who “won’t be the only ones getting things wrong”.
Despite feedback from Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) expressing an understanding of his viewpoint on where the initial contact had taken place, Potter will not waste any more negative energy on the incident as he prepares the squad for Sunday’s trip to Leicester.
“We have got the (PGMOL) report back and they would agree with me, that is what I understand,” Potter said.
“It doesn’t necessarily change anything, life sometimes is unfair and you have to deal with it.
“After the game I can shout and scream or whatever, but it doesn’t change the fact we lost the game 2-1 by small margins.
“At the same time I didn’t think our performance was as good as we would like it to be, so I would choose to focus on that and try to change that, they were my thoughts after the game.
“When I talk about the performance, it is not just the players, but myself. I analyse myself first and I think I can do better as well.
“When you look at the game, it’s an even game. In terms of chances I feel we were probably ahead over the course of 90 minutes, but if we are being honest it was a performance that we didn’t like as much as maybe they would like.
“At the same time you see the reaction of Southampton at the end of the game and they know they had been in a game.
“It’s a tough game, it’s probably a 1-1 match (result), but again, a controversial decision turns it in their favour.
“That’s life, but if we are being honest, and we want to try and improve, and we want to try and lift ourselves in terms of results, we have to look at how we can improve, and that’s what we’ve been doing.”
Brighton will again be without midfielder Adam Lallana, who has been carrying a groin problem, but otherwise have no fresh selection concerns.
Potter revealed Davy Propper and Alexis Mac Allister were closing in on a return following their own lay-offs.
“They are in a stronger position now, which is good for us,” he said. “They have been training all week and they are closer to the squad.”
