The Premier League’s Key Match Incidents Panel concluded that the penalty awarded to Sunderland in its recent clash with Arsenal should not have been given, but the five‑panel members were divided on whether VAR should have stepped in to overturn the on‑field decision.
In a unanimous finding, the panel determined that referee John Brooks erred when he pointed to the spot after judging that Sunderland defender Ezri Konsa had pulled Arsenal midfielder Dan Ballard in the penalty area. The decision to award the penalty was deemed incorrect.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta reacted angrily, calling the call “unacceptable” and suggesting the foul should have been awarded the other way, describing Ballard’s fall as a “judo roll”.
While all five panelists agreed the referee’s call was a mistake, three of them said the error did not meet the Premier League’s high threshold for a “clear and obvious” VAR intervention, whereas the other two believed VAR should have overturned the decision.
Following the incident, Arsenal lodged a formal query with the Professional Referees’ Association seeking an explanation for the penalty award. When later asked about the panel’s response, Arteta said he preferred to keep the matter private.
The penalty ultimately did not affect the match result, as Sunderland’s Enzo Le Fee saw his spot‑kick saved by Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya, leaving the game goalless at the time.