Premier League officials have admitted that Arsenal benefited from two key VAR mistakes by video assistant referee Michael Salisbury. The Gunners have been deemed to have committed fouls that should have resulted in penalties for Everton and Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Premier League's Key Match Incidents (KMI) Panel has ruled that Gabriel Martinelli's foul on Mats Wieffer should have resulted in a penalty for Brighton & Hove Albion. However, Salisbury saw the incident and ruled it a 'no clear and obvious error' rather than sending the referee, Chris Kavanagh, to the monitor.
Four of the five panel members voted that it should have been a penalty, while three agreed that VAR should have intervened. The ruling said:
"Martinelli is not looking at the ball, holds Weiffer into the area and prevents the Brighton player from challenging for the ball." (via Metro)
Brighton & Hove Albion manager Fabian Hurzeler hit out at the decision soon after the match, saying that it was a clear penalty and the referee should have awarded it.
"Yeah, for me it's a penalty. In the end, we have to accept the decision. It was more for me about him handling the other things better - the Premier League needs to find a rule because that's not football what Arsenal did there. That was more the point I made to him (the referee)." (via The Athletic)
Bukayo Saka scored the lone goal of the match as Arsenal collected three points at the AmEx Stadium earlier this month.
VAR official ruled in favor of Arsenal in December against Everton
The Premier League's Key Match Incidents (KMI) Panel ruled in December 2025 that video assistant referee Michael Salisbury failed to award Everton a penalty against Arsenal. William Saliba had kicked the leg of Thierno Barry, but VAR did not send the referee Sam Barrott to the monitor.
Everton manager David Moyes had hit out at the referee and VAR and said:
"I'd like to [tell you about the discussion with the referee] but I'd probably be fined. You need to find a way so we can talk about the referees or don't bother asking me. A lot of things didn't quite suit and go our way. There were quite a few people going down and the referee was blowing up for them. It's a different football club here. We play tough and we expect the referee's to do the same." (via GOAL)
The Gunners are currently clear of Manchester City by nine points, having played a game more than the Cityzens.