Burnley Vs Brentford: VAR denies burnley vs brentford comeback

burnley vs brentford produced a seven-goal thriller that ended 3-4 after an injury-time Mikkel Damsgaard strike. The match swung on two VAR interventions that denied Burnley what looked for seconds like one of the Premier League's greatest comebacks.

The key sequence

Brentford led 3-0 in the first half and were three goals up inside 34 minutes. Burnley fought back to level the match, and Zian Flemming then appeared to poke Burnley into a 78th-minute 4-3 lead after a cross from Jaidon Anthony. The celebrations were brief: the goal was ruled out by VAR because Anthony was adjudged offside by the width of his shoulder and arm.

Anthony’s reaction and explanation

Jaidon Anthony described the decision as "disappointing. " He said: "I've seen the one where I'm offside. It's my shoulder, I think. " He added: "I'm sure if I scored with that part of my body, it wouldn't have been a goal. It's disappointing. " The offside call removed what would have been an historic recovery — Burnley were looking to become just the sixth Premier League team to recover from 3-0 down to win.

Late drama and handball ruling

Mikkel Damsgaard put Brentford back in front three minutes into injury time, and then Ashley Barnes appeared to level for Burnley in stoppage time. That apparent equaliser was ruled out for handball after a five-minute VAR review, a decision described in match coverage as debatable. The long delay and the overturn left fans and players stunned.

Parker’s reaction and quotes

Manager Scott Parker described the result as "heartbreaking" and said Burnley "deserved that. " He spoke about "the fine margins of technology" and the impact of VAR, saying: "VAR and the fine margins of technology to the inch of a sleeve, calling something offside is the game of football we live in now. So we accept that. That's the way it is. " He also expressed frustration at the final moments, saying there was "maybe a little bit of injustice, " that he had not watched the incidents back and that on the big screen it looked harsh, adding that "it looks so, so harsh. " Parker noted the scale of his side's fightback: "We've gone and scored five goals in the space of 60 minutes, which is quite incredible. "

Opposition manager and context

Brentford's manager, Keith Andrews, who signed a new long-term deal this week, said he would not have been happy had the VAR decisions gone against his side but felt they were ultimately correct. On his team he said: "The first half we were very good, played with a lot of conviction, we attacked with real speed and venom and belief. " He added that an own goal changed the game, that he expected Burnley to make changes and that the second half was difficult to manage. "If I'd been asked [beforehand] if I would accept a 4-3 victory, I would have taken it. It's come in very crazy circumstances, " he said.

Fans, atmosphere and aftermath

There were loud boos at the final whistle. The crowd had also greeted the first half with jeering and chants directed at Scott Parker and the Burnley owner, Alan Pace. The home side have not won at home in the league since October, and unrest toward the team and hierarchy has been growing. Parker said the fans were "brilliant in the second half" and hoped the team's response would have won over some dissenters.

A live blog of the match was unavailable at the time some outlets attempted to provide updates, with the message: "Sorry, this blog is currently unavailable. Please try again later. "

The defeat leaves Burnley eight points from safety, and pundit Alan Shearer criticised the handball law as not "fit for purpose, " saying it "isn't fair" on the fans. The match will be remembered for its dramatic swings and two decisive VAR interventions that ultimately decided a 4-3 win for Brentford.