'No doubt' - Ex-Premier League referee on Leeds United penalty decision against Brentford

On a controversial weekend for VAR, Crysencio Summerville appeared to be fouled outside the penalty area with the offence carrying on into the 18-yard box.

With the Whites trailing 3-1, their appeals were waved away with the officials at Stockley Park not recommending an on-pitch review.

Head coach Jesse Marsch was sent to the stands for protesting when his side were denied the decision, after they had conceded the opening goal to a spot-kick following a lengthy VAR review.

Referee Robert Jones studied the replays on the pitchside monitor before deciding Ivan Toney had been fouled by Luis Sinisterra.

But Marsch exploded with rage when there was no such review after Summerville was tugged back by Aaron Hickey. And former FIFA listed referee Halsey was in no doubt that the decision to deny Leeds a penalty was incorrect.

"You can understand his [Marsch’s] frustrations because clearly Leeds should have had a penalty, no doubt about that, especially when you see what they were giving fouls for this weekend, on recommended views, which has been shocking, absolutely shocking," Halsey told the Yorkshire Evening Post.

"You'd have to ask the VAR operator [why Jones didn't look at it]. There's a clear shirt-pull outside the box but he's gone into the box, his arm's on top of him, leaning on him, [Summerville has] gone down and it's a penalty."

After Saturday’s draw, Marsch accused the officials of a “lack of respect” after Toney’s hat-trick condemned Leeds to an eventual 5-2 defeat.

“I was calm, even when Brentford were given the penalty,” said Marsch. “Even though I didn’t see it right away, but normally when the phrasing and verbiage is ‘clear and obvious’ and it takes that long to look at it, then for me it’s not clear and obvious.

“And when I saw it at half-time, I don’t believe it’s a penalty and if it is, it’s an incredibly soft one. Then there’s an action where I think Somerville is actually more of an egregious foul and it doesn’t even get looked at for VAR.

“I’m clearly dissatisfied. I’ve got to figure out how to have discussions with the League or with referees or something to help understand how some decisions get made.

“I was speaking with the fourth official, trying to be as respectful as I possibly could, even when a penalty was given that I probably didn’t think was a penalty. And then you don’t see it reciprocated, the respect.

“That’s what I would call it. That lack of VAR visit in the end to me is a lack of respect.”