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Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler was fuming after their Friday night draw with Southampton
Downes' second half strike cancelled out Kaoru Mitoma's opener as fourth-placed Brighton drew 1-1 with the lowly Saints at the Amex Stadium.
Downes had previously been booked in the first half for a cynical foul on Danny Welbeck and escaped a further caution when he fouled Mitoma after the break.
Flynn Downes of Southampton celebrates scoring his team's equaliser at BrightonFlynn Downes of Southampton celebrates scoring his team's equaliser at Brighton
Flynn Downes of Southampton celebrates scoring his team's equaliser at Brighton
A visibly frustrated Hurzeler said there's "no explanation" for that decision as last week his midfielder Carlos Baleba was sent-off in the 2-1 win at Bournemouth after a controversial second yellow card for what appeared to be a fair tackle with Milos Kerkez. Baleba was subsequently suspended for the Southampton match.
"That’s exactly what I said in the halftime already, “ Hurzeler said to Sussex World. “And then he [Downes] makes another foul. There is no explanation for this. That is something that changed the game in Bournemouth in their direction and this could have changed the game in our direction.
"But you have to be very careful what you say in England. Also my yellow card is something that I cannot understand and I have to adapt to this here.”
Southampton boss Russell Martin and Hurzeler squared up to each other at the end of a bad-tempered encounter.
Both bosses accused each other of a lack of respect following a match which saw Saints denied a priceless victory by a VAR decision in the second half.
Downes had just levelled when Cameron Archer converted a cross from Saints substitute Ryan Fraser.
A check of more than four minutes eventually decided Archer was onside but then penalised Adam Armstrong, who was offside but did not touch the ball, for interfering with play.
The official explanation was that Armstrong was in an offside position and “deemed to be impacting” Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen’s ability to play the ball.
After 13 minutes of added time, during which Brighton’s Simon Adingra hit a post, both benches gave each other a piece of their mind.
The managers had also been booked during the match; Hurzeler for waving an imaginary yellow card in the first half and Martin for his reaction to more protesting from the Brighton boss after a foul by Downes, who was on a yellow card and probably lucky to still be on the pitch.
Pressed on his altercation with Martin after the final whistle, the German added: “For me it’s just important to have respect. It’s important to respect each other and how you talk to each other. That’s how I was educated.”
Martin was clearly unimpressed with his opposite number’s touchline antics.
“The manager decided to say something about respect,” he said. “I’ve never known a manager try to get as many players booked as that. Respect is reciprocal. It’s mutual."
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