Brighton should have been awarded a penalty in their home defeat to Arsenal, 0-1, on March 4, as confirmed by the Premier League's Key Match Incidents (KMI) panel. This marks the second time this season that the Londoners have improperly escaped a penalty not awarded by VAR in a match they won by the narrowest of margins. The controversial incident occurred in the third minute of stoppage time in the first half, when the Seagulls were already trailing 0-1, thanks to a goal from Bukayo Saka in the ninth minute. Following a cross from the left, Mats Wieffer, the home team's midfielder, attempted to enter the area to contest the ball but was grabbed and brought down by Gabriel Martinelli. The match referee, Chris Kavanagh, allowed play to continue, and his decision was validated by the video assistant referee (VAR), Michael Salisbury. The decision sparked immediate protests, with Brighton's coach, Fabian Hurzeler, complaining to the fourth official, David Webb, and exchanging words with Mikel Arteta on the sidelines. Although the Premier League's Match Centre communicated at the time via social media platform X that the VAR "considered there to be no clear and obvious error," the KMI panel had a different opinion. By a vote of 4-1, the panel concluded that a penalty should have been awarded on the pitch and, by 3-2, that it was a failed intervention by VAR. #BHAARS – 45+3’ The referee’s call of no penalty to Brighton & Hove Albion for the challenge by Martinelli on Wieffer was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed there was no clear and obvious error. The panel's justification was clear: "Martinelli is not looking at the ball, grabs Wieffer inside the area, and prevents the Brighton player from contesting the play." Interestingly, the VAR in that game, Michael Salisbury, had previously been involved in a similar incident in December when Everton should have been awarded a penalty for a foul by William Saliba on Thierno Barry. Arsenal, on the other hand, has yet to have any VAR errors called against them this season. In total, there have been 18 VAR errors recorded this season, matching the total number from the entire last season. In the same round, Leeds was also disadvantaged by not being awarded a penalty for a foul by Luke O'Nien on Pascal Struijk in their 0-1 defeat against Sunderland.
Arsenal Key Match Incidents remains central to this story.
Arsenal Key Match Incidents remains central to this story.
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