Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher believes VAR had no right to intervene on the penalty that saw Brighton level against Arsenal.

The ex-official believes Anthony Taylor made the right decision and the incident can't be "unseen". Gunners defender William Saliba was penalised for a collision with Joao Pedro after the Brazilian looked to nod past the centre-back.

Pedro stepped up to convert the spot-kick and level proceedings at the AMEX Stadium, the effort from 12 yards proved to be a massive flashpoint in the fixture as Arsenal laboured to a draw. The point meant Mikel Arteta's side missed the chance to apply pressure on league leaders Liverpool.

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Despite the Spaniard's frustration at the decision, Gallagher felt the onfield decision was the correct one. He said: "It is certainly interesting. "The problem is that once you see it - and Anthony Taylor gives a penalty and you start examining it - you can't unsee it.

"What you see is Pedro heads the ball onto Saliba's head. "People say well he got the ball but he didn't, the ball struck him, the ball got him.

"But he does catch him with his head, they are stood up as well so it looks even worse. "I think the referee gives the penalty on the field and the VAR has no right to overturn it.

"We had this a few weeks ago didn't we with Jordan Pickford when people said 'well he got the ball'. "I said 'well he didn't get the ball, the ball got him'.

"If you remember, the ball struck his backside on the way through. "I think Joao Pedro heads the ball there and it then strikes Saliba on the head there rather than Saliba heading the ball.

"Once the referee gives it on field and he took his time, he thought about it and gave a penalty. "Once he has given it, when you see the pictureshe catches his ehad aftrerwards.

"He is stood up as well, it's not as if two players have jumped up in the air and they have clashed heads that we often see. "I just think then that the VAR has no right to intervene."

The Ref Watch panel, consisting of Stephen Warnock and Sue Smith, were in agreement with the decision. The former Liverpool defender admitted it is a tough decision to make but the timing was off.

"I think this is one of the hardest calls to make," he argued. "I think this is probably the hardest call or discussion that we have had to talk about.

"The way I have tried to break it down and tried to think about this is, that connection with Saliba. If me and Sue are going for a challenge now and Sue has got the ball and she goes to play the ball, and I come in with a tackle and she flicks it round the corner but I hit her and then it flicks it onto me but I go through Sue and hit her, it's going to be a foul.

"So the touch on the ball from me isn't enough because there is still excessive force and I think the way he goes in with his head and headbutts, I think there is enough contact for a penalty to be given.

"It hits him rather than him heading the ball, it has ricocheted off his head. His timing was off with the header. It's a fraction."

Smith added: "There is so much debate on this and I have heard some people say it is a penalty and some people say it isn't.

"I actually think it is a penalty because I think Joao Pedro gets there first. I then think Saliba then connects with Pedro so I think anywhere else on the football pitch that would be a free-kick or a foul or at least the play would stop.

"So I think in the penalty area it has to be so yes I actually agree with the referee here."