Chelsea have been handed a bittersweet sense of vindication after the Premier League’s KMI Panel ruled that the Blues were wrongly denied a blatant on-field penalty against Arsenal.
The Blues have been the authors of their own downfall at times this season, but there have been things that have gone against Liam Rosenior‘s side.
Chelsea lost 2-1 against Arsenal at the Emirates, with the FA sharing afterwards that they’re trying to trial a coach’s challenge that can be used in games moving forward.
This was due to a handball by Declan Rice that was waved away by the referee and VAR decided not to intervene, despite the glaring evidence.
However, a Premier League panel have come to a conclusion since the incident.
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The panel found Chelsea were wronged against Arsenal
According to BBC, Declan Rice should have been penalised for his handball.
Earlier this month the KMI Panel unanimously voted that Chelsea should have been awarded a penalty against the Gunners for handball by Declan Rice.
But it was a 4:1 vote that it did not reach the threshold for a VAR intervention.
Arsenal led 1-0 in the 45th minute when Rice moved his arm to deflect the ball following a corner.
Chelsea did score two minutes later through a Piero Hincapie handball, but went on to lose 2-1.
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Chelsea deserve an apology
While VAR chose not to intervene at the time, citing Rice’s engagement with Jorrel Hato as a mitigating factor, the panel’s unanimous verdict suggests that the arm’s unnatural position and clear intent to block the ball made it a punishable offense.
This latest ruling adds to a growing sense of frustration at Stamford Bridge regarding VAR consistency. While earlier season data suggested Chelsea were net beneficiaries of errors against Fulham and Brighton, the high-stakes nature of the missed Rice penalty has sparked a fresh outcry.
For Liam Rosenior, the admission is a hollow victory that further highlights the thin margins defining Chelsea’s increasingly desperate top-four pursuit.
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