Ezri Konsa and Dan Ballard wrestle in the Arsenal vs Sunderland clash
The Premier League Key Match Incidents panel has decided the referee was wrong to award Sunderland a penalty for a foul by Ezri Konsa.
With the score locked at 0-0 at the Stadium of Light, John Brooks awarded the home side a spot kick.
Ezri Konsa of Arsenal pulls down Daniel Ballard of Sunderland, resulting in a penalty, on September 12, 2026.3
The referee awarded a penalty - but that was ruled the incorrect decision
Konsa was adjudged to have hauled Dan Ballard to the floor while wrestling for an aerial duel.
Enzo Le Fee stepped up to take the penalty, but David Raya pulled off a stunning save, diving to his left to tip it off the post and wide.
Former Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes then scored from the edge of the box two minutes later before Bukayo Saka wrapped it up for Arsenal with a late spot kick of his own.
And now a five-person panel unanimously came to the conclusion that Ballard grabbed Konsa initially before dragging the Arsenal man on top of him.
Therefore the referee was incorrect to initially award the penalty.
The panel said: "Although it was a very untidy challenge in which Konsa initially had arms around Ballard, Ballard engages in a holding action which pulls Konsa onto him so they both fall to the floor."
However, the panel voted that it was the correct decision for VAR not to intervene because it did not meet the threshold for a 'clear and obvious error'.
The report added: "In this instance, the panel concluded that, although the referee made an error and should not have awarded a penalty kick, the decision did not meet the threshold for a clear and obvious error.
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"Therefore, it was not deemed a situation in which the VAR should have intervened."
What did Arteta say?
After the match, Mikel Arteta was furious with the decision and told talkSPORT: "I think everybody can see it [is not a foul] and it's not acceptable at this level and I'm very, very worried."
Mikel Arteta looks on during Arsenal's match against Aston Villa.3
Arteta's rant was condemned by Tony Cascarino, given Arsenal still won the game
When pressed whether he felt it was 'soft', Arteta remarked: "It's not soft, it's a judo roll, what he does on our player is never a penalty from every angle, I watched it ten times.
"That's why we have all the cameras and this cannot happen, it changes the momentum of the season, the course of the Championship at this level, it cannot happen."
He then added: "I don't understand anything, we have a meeting, they explain everything and this can never be a penalty.
"Otherwise, I don't know what we're going to do, but we'll continue."
What other decisions did they rule on?
The Premier League Key Match Incidents panel consists of three former players and coaches, one top-flight representative and a ProRef representative.
And they ruled unanimously that Erling Haaland's goal for Manchester City against Manchester United in the Manchester derby shouldn't have stood.
Erling Haaland scores for Manchester City against Manchester United.3
Haaland continued his outstanding record against Man United in controversial circumstances
Haaland scored the only goal of the game as he converted a deflected cross.
However, Enzo Fernandez interfered from an offside position, but it was missed.
The panel have subsequently published their findings on Wednesday.
They said: "Fernandez is in an offside position, attempts to play the ball that is close to him, and impacts the ability of the defender and the goalkeeper to play the ball in the process.
"A VAR review should have been recommended for a missed subjective offside in the attacking possession phase."
However, they did unanimously agree with Michael Oliver's decision to send Phil Foden off in the same game.
The England international was dismissed midway inside the first half at Old Trafford for kicking out at Bruno Fernandes.