With just two Premier League games to go, it looks as though the title race will go right down to the wire. Arsenal currently sit at the top of the table, but have just a two-point lead on Manchester City.
The Gunners host Burnley before travelling away to Crystal Palace on the final day, while Pep Guardiola's men visit Bournemouth and finish up at the Etihad with a visit from Aston Villa.
With things so tight, Arsenal's recent win over West Ham United sparked great controversy when VAR ruled out what looked to be a late equaliser for the Hammers. Despite all the drama surrounding that incident, one far less spoken about officiating error could actually decide the title.
KMI Panel Reveal Premier League VAR Error
Premier League table without VAR
This week, the Premier League Key Match Incidents (KMI) panel confirmed that a mistake was made during the Man City draw with Everton. The game ended 3-3 in the most dramatic fashion, with David Moyes' side leading 3-1 before being pegged back.
Jeremy Doku struck deep into injuyr time to make it 3-3 after Erling Haaland has also scored. However, when the score was stuck at 3-2, Bernardo Silva held back Toffees midfielder Merlin Rohl at a corner.
Referee Michael Oliver missed it and VAR Paul Howard decided the holding had taken place before the corner was taken, so he could not intervene to award a penalty.
Moyes fumed after the game, saying: "If that doesn't get given as a penalty, then it's an absolute free-for-all from now on." All five members of the KMI panel agreed with Moyes, as they explained in a statement:
"There is a clear, sustained holding offence which continues as the corner is taken and the ball comes into play."
This decision could have huge ramifications on the title. After all, if Arsenal were to pick up four points in their final two games, with a win and a draw, they would finish the season on 83 points.
If Man City win both their final games, they will also finish on 83 points, but likely win the league due to superior goal difference. Guardiola's men have one better goal difference at the moment, and that margin would likely increase if they win twice and Arsenal only win once.
If VAR awarded the penalty against Everton, it's likely that they would have won the game, leaving City with one fewer point. After this officiating error was confirmed, Doku's late strike could make all the difference.
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Bernardo Silva Claims Corners Have Become Like 'Rugby'
Bernardo Silva
It's ironic that it was Silva who should have been penalised for the foul, as he recently complained about physicality at set-pieces. This week, he was quoted in the Daily Mail, complaining about how corners have become more like 'rugby'.
"I'm not sure when set-pieces changed," he said. "Maybe two years ago. And I really don't like it because the amount of time wasted in throw-ins, in corners. For a long time they have rewarded bad defending. And what I mean by bad defending is you grab someone, like I did against Everton (when Silva grappled with Toffees midfielder Rohl).
"You grab someone with two arms, and you tackle him on the ground like rugby, and that's [now] OK. That [seems] fine for them. We had a conversation with the referees. We said, 'Look, if you're going to start allowing this, we're going to do the same'. Because it's ridiculous.
"City were probably one of the last ones doing it because we saw everyone doing it. It’s a shame because it’s not the game. The fans are not here to watch this. It’s just quite boring. They started whistling these things in the last few games. Whistling maybe a bit too late, in the last few matches."
Despite his complaints, the VAR leniency on that particular corner at Everton, however, could be vital if City go on to win the league.