Michael Brown has insisted that the tackle by Kieran Gibbs on Jack Grealish in Saturday’s play-off tie between Aston Villa and West Brom warranted a penalty.
Having equalised through Conor Hourihane following Dwight Gayle’s earlier strike, Grealish won a penalty after going down under contact from his fellow countryman, which Tammy Abraham duly converted to make it 2-1 to the hosts.
Speaking to the Birmingham Mail, Brown agreed with the decision, but said that the attempt by Mason Holgate to win a penalty for the Baggies in the second half was a “dive”.
“[Gibbs] just lost his temper slightly a couple of minutes earlier,” the pundit said. “It’s one of those where, as a player, Grealish is thinking ‘I just need to touch it’ and he’s going down.
“It was well played from Grealish, he knows it’s coming and he knows to go down. It’s one of those situations where there’s a tiny bit of contact which gets him away from the dive.
“[Holgate] goes down too easy,” Brown said about the Baggies’ penalty claim. “It’s a dive. He’s got to be stronger than that.
“[Abraham’s] eyes are on the ball and it’s a slight push – not a penalty for me.”
OPINION
It certainly was a tense and action-packed affair on Saturday in the first leg of the Championship play-off final. Aside from both penalty claims, there were the three goals and a red card for Gayle, who – having been booked earlier – slid in on Villa goalkeeper Sam Johnstone and the tackle was deemed a second bookable offence. On the penalty claims, there was not much contact in either but it definitely seems like there was more on Grealish than Holgate. Either way, the tie is now set up perfectly for Tuesday evening’s second leg at the Hawthornes and it should be an absolute cracker. With Gayle now banned and strike partner Hal Robson-Kanu also suspended, it will be up to Jay Rodriguez to fire West Brom to victory. Villa meanwhile, have a full squad to choose from and will be fired up to complete the job and get to Wembley.