Le Fée penalty rescues Sunderland point at Brentford as both managers question officiating

Brentford and Sunderland drew 1-1 at the Gtech Community Stadium on 5 September, an Enzo Le Fée penalty eight minutes from time cancelling out Vitaly Janelt's opener and leaving both managers grumbling about the officials.

Janelt broke the deadlock in the 57th minute, driving his effort into the top left corner. Brentford held the lead until the 82nd, when referee Thomas Bramall pointed to the spot after ruling that Keane Lewis-Potter had held Wilson Isidor inside the box. VAR confirmed the decision and Le Fée put the penalty into the bottom right corner.

Two managers, one complaint

Brentford's Keith Andrews was unusually direct about the refereeing afterwards.

"We can do better," Andrews said. "I wasn't bowled over with the officiating today, though, which I rarely say."

Speaking to BBC Sport, Andrews said his side had played the "ugly side of the game" and expressed pride in the display.

Sunderland's Regis Le Bris had his own grievance, over a disallowed Ballard goal that took a long VAR check to resolve.

"If you need four and a half minutes to make a decision, it means you are hesitating," Le Bris said.

Le Bris also told BBC Sport his team had produced "one of our best first halves" in the Premier League, while regretting that it had not yielded all three points.

Where it leaves them

The point took Brentford into fifth place and extended their unbeaten start to the Premier League season. Sunderland, who have made an unexpectedly solid beginning to their campaign back in the top flight, leave west London with a result their manager thought could have been better.

This report draws on reporting by Sky Sports and BBC Sport.