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When Olivia Rodrigo launched Vampire in 2023, many theories had been put ahead as to who the track was about.
After watching Danny Welbeck rating the profitable purpose for Brighton in opposition to Liverpool, I’ve a brand new one to throw into the combine – Rodrigo was referencing VAR for the means it has sucked the fun out of soccer.
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With 57 minutes on the clock, the Albion retook the lead in opposition to the reigning Premier League champions. Potentially, an enormous second in Brighton’s season to proceed the turnaround in kind which has had supporters going from worrying about getting dragged into the relegation battle to dreaming of Europe.
To the bare eye, it appeared like the purpose may need been offside. Welbeck and Jack Hinshelwood each had their doubts as they immediately checked out the assistant referee.
In the days earlier than VAR, Brighton followers would have taken a fast look themselves, noticed no flag after which gone ballistic with unbridled pleasure.
Not any extra.
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The celebrations round the Amex had been half-muted. We discovered a painful lesson when our bodies had been flying (or, as the children name it today, “absolute limbs”) from an identical incident at Fulham in January when VAR dominated a Welbeck purpose offside by a millimetre.
Nobody needed to make that mistake once more. And so Brighton gamers and followers reined of their feelings till given permission to partake in happiness by somebody at Stockley Park watching a super-slow-motion replay with a ruler.
Unlike at Craven Cottage, the purpose stood. And admittedly, the Welbeck celebration was value ready for. He leapfrogged 6ft 2in team-mate Lewis Dunk from a standing begin in an astonishing feat of athleticism for a 35-year-old.
Welbeck going Olympic gymnast, nonetheless, was not sufficient to make up for the feeling Albion followers had been denied the type of spontaneous, sudden second of ecstasy which is why many of us fell in love with the sport in the first place.
Find extra from Scott McCarthy at We Are Brighton