Controversial Decisions in Premier League Matches Reviewed by KMI Panel
The Premier League's Key Match Incidents Panel has concluded that Everton should have been awarded a penalty during their 1-0 defeat to Arsenal on December 20. The incident occurred in the 57th minute at the Hill Dickinson Stadium when William Saliba and Everton striker Thierno Barry collided inside the penalty area.
Barry managed to reach the ball first, but was subsequently kicked by Arsenal's French defender. The panel voted 3-2, determining that referee Sam Barrott's decision to not award a penalty was incorrect. Additionally, the panel felt that video assistant referee (VAR) Michael Salisbury should have recommended that Barrott review the incident on the monitor.
Three panel members noted that Saliba carelessly kicked Barry without making contact with the ball, labeling it a clear and obvious error. Conversely, two members supported the no-penalty call, arguing there was insufficient impact and a delayed reaction from Barry.
Everton manager David Moyes expressed confusion over the decision, particularly in light of similar incidents that resulted in penalties for other teams. He specifically referenced a penalty awarded to Fulham against Nottingham Forest just two days later, a decision that the panel unanimously supported.
Moyes remarked, "I was half-choking last night when I saw the decision given [to Fulham] and ours wasn't. It feels as though certain clubs get those decisions and others don’t." The KMI Panel consists of five members, including three former players or coaches, along with representatives from the Premier League and Professional Game Match Officials.
In another match on the same day, the panel ruled that VAR Peter Bankes was correct in not advising a penalty for Newcastle during their game against Chelsea. Head coach Eddie Howe claimed that Newcastle was denied a "stonewall" penalty when Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah fouled Anthony Gordon. The match ended in a 2-2 draw, and the club stated they would seek clarification regarding the decision.
The panel voted 3-2 in favor of a penalty, but also concluded that the incident did not meet the threshold for VAR intervention. Supporters of the penalty argued that Chalobah made reckless contact, while those against it believed the contact was a legitimate shoulder-to-shoulder challenge.
Tottenham manager Thomas Frank was also frustrated following his team's 2-1 loss at home to Liverpool. Spurs' Xavi Simons received a red card following a VAR review for a challenge on Virgil van Dijk. Frank argued that Liverpool's second goal should have been disallowed due to a push by Hugo Ekitike on Cristian Romero, who was later sent off for a second yellow card in stoppage time.
The panel unanimously supported both the red card for Simons and the goal by Ekitike, stating that there was not enough contact for a foul, particularly given the high threshold for penalizing contact. Romero's second yellow card was upheld by a 4-1 vote. Additionally, the panel did not classify Micky van de Ven's attempted block on Alexander Isak's shot, which resulted in the Liverpool striker suffering a broken leg, as a red-card offense worthy of review.