By Martin Graham
A Premier League arbitration panel has judged it everton should have been awarded a penalty in their 1-0 setback arsenal on December 20. The flashpoint came in the 57th minute at the Hill Dickinson Stadium when William Saliba and Thierno Barry contested the ball inside the penalty area.
Barry got to the ball in front of the Arsenal centre-half before his boot hit the defender. Match referee Sam Barrott allowed play to continue. A 3-2 majority of the Key Match Incidents (KMI) Panel later ruled that this judgment was wrong.
The same 3-2 margin also concluded that VAR Michael Salisbury should have recommended a review by the on-field monitor. Three panelists argued that Saliba’s challenge was sloppy, not noticing any touch on the ball. Two members argued that there was not enough force and a delayed fall to warrant a foul.
Everton manager David Moyes questioned the logic of the decisions in the games, referring to a spot-kick awarded to Fulham against Nottingham Forest two days later. The court unanimously supported this ruling. Moyes said he was surprised to see that call while his team received none, adding that some clubs appear to benefit more often. The five-man KMI team consists of three former players or managers, plus a Premier League representative and a PGMOL official.
Mixed decisions in Newcastle-Chelsea tie
The group also reviewed a penalty call Newcastle’s Result 2-2 against Chelsea on December 20. Eddie Howe described the moment as clear after Trevoh Chalobah knocked Anthony Gordon to the turf as Newcastle went ahead.
Referee Andy Madley did not point to the spot, and VAR Peter Bankes refused to intervene. The panel leaned 3-2 to think a penalty should have been awarded, but the same 3-2 tally concluded it didn’t meet the threshold for video involvement.
Those who wanted a penalty said Chalobah made no attempt at the ball and initiated reckless shoulder, hip and leg contact. The opposing view defended the challenge as firm but fair with both players close to the ball. Newcastle indicated plans to seek clarification from officials.
Spurs left frustrated by Liverpool’s decisions
Tottenham Defeat at home by 2-1 against Liverpool included several controversial calls. Manager Thomas Frank was left fuming after a VAR check saw Xavi Simons dismissed for a foul on Virgil van Dijk, while he believed Hugo Ekitike’s decisive goal should have been disallowed for pushing on Cristian Romero.
Both the red card and the goal conceded were unanimously supported by the panel. On Ekitike’s action, it was noted that there was minimal contact and that the current standards for penalizing physical confrontations are high.
Romero’s subsequent dismissal for a second warning was ruled correct by a 4-1 vote. A separate incident in which Micky van de Ven tried to stop Alexander Isak, who suffered a broken leg after scoring, did not qualify for the panel’s assessment as it was not considered a key incident in the match.
