Premier League panel says Sunderland penalty was incorrect

The Premier League’s Key Match Incidents panel unanimously ruled that referee John Brooks was wrong to award Sunderland a penalty against Arsenal on September 12, but a 3-2 majority concluded that VAR was right not to intervene because the error did not meet the clear-and-obvious threshold. The penalty was given after contact between Arsenal defender Ezri Konsa and Sunderland’s Dan Ballard during a corner. In its assessment, the panel said Ballard’s holding action pulled Konsa down, despite Konsa initially having his arms around Ballard. VAR official Stuart Attwell did not recommend an on-field review. David Raya saved Enzo Le Fée’s penalty, and Arsenal won 2-0. The two findings address different stages of the decision: the panel found the on-field penalty call incorrect, while most members judged that the error was not sufficiently clear and obvious to require VAR intervention. The supplied account of the panel’s reasoning does not explain in detail why the threshold was not met. Mikel Arteta criticized the decision after the match, and Arsenal contacted Pro Ref for an explanation. The panel also assessed decisions from the Manchester derby.