Former Premier League referee Mike Dean criticized the decision as “embarrassing” that Birmingham City did not receive a penalty during Southampton’s 3-1 victory. The incident occurred when Gavin Bazunu collided with Oliver Burke inside the penalty area with Southampton leading 2-0, a move that Russell Martin acknowledged was likely a foul.
This controversy followed Taylor Harwood-Bellis potentially being offside for Southampton’s opening goal, which was also his first goal for the club since his summer transfer.
On Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday, Mike Dean strongly condemned referee David Webb’s choice not to award a penalty in favor of Birmingham. He expressed, “To be honest, it’s embarrassing. It’s an incredibly poor decision.
The Birmingham player clearly won the ball, and the young player just forcefully pushed him from behind. It’s not a difficult decision, and I’m not one to criticize referees, but this is such a subpar decision; it’s a clear penalty.”
Dean further elaborated, saying, “The goalkeeper was nowhere near the ball, Burke had won the header, and he was taken out. It’s a penalty without a doubt. This is basic refereeing. If I were the referee, I would have awarded it. This decision is incredibly disappointing.”
Southampton will be back in action on Saturday, November 4, when they face Millwall as they seek to maintain their six-match unbeaten streak.