Gary Lineker agreed with Mikel Arteta on Match of the Day that Arsenal should not have had a penalty awarded against them when William Saliba made contact with Brighton and Hove Albion forward Joao Pedro.

Pedro and Saliba each headed the ball inside the 18-yard box within seconds before the latter followed through into the side of the former's face. That sent Pedro to the ground, holding his head while flailing prone on the pitch. The match referee, Anthony Taylor, then pointed to the spot; minutes later, Brighton equalised from 12 yards.

VAR checked and confirmed the call, deeming sufficient contact for a penalty. But after full-time Arteta lamented: "After three seconds, they said they had already checked. It seems quick."

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The manager also remarked: "I have never seen a decision like this in my career. I asked the boys if they had, and nobody had seen it before."

Later on Saturday night during Match of the Day, host Lineker and pundits Danny Murphy and Micah Richards concurred with the Gunners manager. "I think Mikel Arteta is absolutely spot on," Lineker said. "Saliba clearly headed it."

Richards added: "I can understand why people think it's a penalty; I don't think it's a penalty because he heads the ball as well [as Pedro]." Murphy also concurred: "I don't think it's a penalty; they both head the ball before they clash; they're both genuinely going for it; it's a coming together.

"The other thing is, why now? We've never seen it before." Lineker continued: "Never ever have we seen penalties given for head clashes," before Murphy asked: "Do football fans really want to see [that]? Players coming together accidentally going for the ball; I don't want to see penalties given for, most people don't."

Lineker approved: "I agree. I've watched football for far too long, and I've never seen a penalty given for a clash of heads; it happens in every corner, almost."