The Premier League’s controversial VAR system has come under renewed scrutiny after three more officiating mistakes were confirmed by the Key Match Incidents (KMI) panel, taking the total number of VAR errors this season to 23.
The figure marks a 35% increase compared to the same stage last season, when 17 errors had been recorded, although it remains lower than the 30 mistakes logged during the 2023-24 campaign.
Two of the latest incidents involved missed penalty decisions for holding offences, with Everton once again left frustrated after being denied a spot-kick against Manchester City.
Everton, notably the only Premier League side yet to benefit from a VAR intervention this season, should have been awarded a penalty during their dramatic 3-3 draw with Manchester City at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
David Moyes’ side were leading 3-2 when Bernardo Silva was seen holding Everton midfielder Merlin Rohl during a corner. Referee Michael Oliver missed the incident, while VAR official Paul Howard ruled the holding had occurred before the corner was taken, meaning he could not intervene.
However, all five members of the KMI panel unanimously disagreed with the decision.
“There is a clear, sustained holding offence which continues as the corner is taken and the ball comes into play,” the panel stated.
Moyes did not hide his frustration after the match.
“If that doesn’t get given as a penalty, then it’s an absolute free-for-all from now on,” the Everton manager said.
Manchester City eventually rescued a point deep into stoppage time through Jeremy Doku.
It was the third occasion this season where Everton should have received a penalty following VAR review, with previous incidents occurring against Arsenal and West Ham.
The KMI panel also unanimously agreed that Bournemouth’s penalty in their 3-0 win over Crystal Palace should have been overturned.
Defender Marcos Senesi went down after minimal contact from Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson, prompting referee Rob Jones to award a penalty. VAR Peter Bankes upheld the decision.
The panel later concluded that the contact was insufficient.
“Henderson drops the ball, reaches for it and Senesi goes down under very minimal contact from the goalkeeper,” the panel explained.
“The referee’s call of a penalty was incorrect and VAR should have intervened.”
West Ham were also left aggrieved after the KMI panel determined they should have been awarded two penalties in their 3-0 loss to Brentford.
The first incident involved Keane Lewis-Potter holding Tomas Soucek in what the panel described as “a clear non-footballing action” that affected the midfielder’s movement. The panel unanimously agreed VAR official Tony Harrington should have intervened.
A second appeal came in the 77th minute when Brentford’s Yehor Yarmolyuk slipped and fouled Pablo inside the box.
The panel narrowly voted 3-2 in favour of a penalty, but ruled 4-1 that the incident did not meet the threshold for VAR intervention.
Elsewhere, the KMI panel supported the decision not to overturn Benjamin Sesko’s goal for Manchester United against Liverpool, despite handball appeals before the striker scored.
The panel voted 4-1 in favour of the VAR decision, citing a lack of conclusive evidence of handball.
Sunderland defender Dan Ballard’s VAR red card for pulling the hair of Tolu Arokodare was also upheld by a 4-1 vote.
