The Premier League's Key Match Incidents panel has confirmed that Everton should have been awarded a penalty in their 3-3 draw with Manchester City
13:37, 15 May 2026Updated 13:37, 15 May 2026
Pep Guardiola Manager / Head Coach of Manchester City reacts as Mikel Arteta manager / head coach of Arsenal looks on during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal at Etihad Stadium
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The Premier League title race is racing towards its conclusion(Image: Getty)
Mikel Arteta and Arsenal have been informed of a huge VAR mistake with massive ramifications in the Premier Leaguer title race.
It has not been confirmed that Everton ought to have been granted a penalty in their 3-3 draw with Manchester City after Bernardo Silva dragged Toffees star Merlin Rohl to the turf. The incident went unnoticed by referee Michael Oliver, and VAR official Paul Howard deemed it to have taken place before the corner was delivered, preventing his intervention.
Nevertheless, the Premier League's Key Match panel considers the Toffees should have been handed a spot kick, when David Moyes' outfit were ahead 3-2 at that moment. City rallied and secured a point courtesy of a Jeremy Doku leveller.
Everton should have been awarded a penalty
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Everton should have been awarded a penalty
While City's stumble permitted the Gunners to reclaim pole position, the stalemate means Pep Guardiola's troops sit just two points adrift of Arsenal, rather than three.
Arteta's squad can re-establish that five point advantage over City with victory against already relegated Burnley on Monday evening, with City engaged in FA Cup business against Chelsea.
They're scheduled to meet Bournemouth on Tuesday evening in their second-to-last fixture of the campaign, with the championship still within reach.
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Moyes was left incensed by the choice not to grant a penalty, and declared at the time: "If that doesn't get given as a penalty, then it's an absolute free-for-all from now on."
All five panel members backed the Toffees manager and concluded: "There is a clear, sustained holding offence which continues as the corner is taken and the ball comes into play."
The panel comprises five members: one from the Premier League, one from PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) and three former players or coaches, reports the Mirror.
Arsenal
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Arsenal have been at the centre of VAR controversy this week(Image: Getty Images)
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There have been several contentious recent VAR decisions to affect the title race after West Ham United witnessed a late leveller against Arsenal chalked off for a foul on goalkeeper David Raya, despite multiple players wrestling in the box.
The acknowledgement of error in the Everton vs City game brings the tally of VAR mistakes to 23 for the campaign.
And it marks the third occasion the Toffees have been refused a penalty through review, one of those in a 1-0 reverse to Arsenal and the other in 2-1 defeat to West Ham United.