Three VAR decisions that have benefited Arsenal in the title race

March 19, 2026 Oliver Obel

A review of Premier League officiating decisions has raised fresh questions about key moments involving Arsenal this season, as the club closes in on its first league title in over two decades.

According to Mail Sport, the Premier League’s Key Match Incidents (KMI) panel has identified three occasions where VAR decisions favored Arsenal, while none have gone against them across their 31 matches so far.

The KMI panel—made up of former players, coaches, and representatives from the league and refereeing body—assesses major decisions after each round of fixtures.

Disputed penalty decisions

All three incidents highlighted in the report relate to potential penalties.

The most recent came during Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Brighton. Mail Sport reported that Brighton should have been awarded a spot-kick after Gabriel Martinelli challenged Mats Wieffer in the penalty area. VAR official Michael Salisbury did not intervene after referee Chris Kavanagh allowed play to continue.

The panel later supported Brighton’s case, stating: “Martinelli is not looking at the ball, holds Wieffer into the area and prevents the player from challenging for the ball.”

In a separate match against Chelsea, the panel also determined that Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice handled the ball inside the box. Arsenal went on to win 2-1, and the report said the panel unanimously agreed (5-0) that a penalty should have been given.

A third decision involved a challenge by William Saliba on Everton’s Thierno Barry. According to Mail Sport, the panel concluded Everton were denied a penalty, with three members stating that “Saliba carelessly kicked Barry with no contact on the ball.” Arsenal ultimately won that match as well.

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Wider context

The findings come with Arsenal holding a nine-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the table, although City have played one game fewer.

They also add to ongoing debate around refereeing consistency. Everton manager David Moyes recently suggested some clubs receive more favorable decisions, and the panel’s conclusions are likely to fuel that discussion.

While officiating errors affect all teams over a season, the report highlights how marginal decisions can influence results in a tightly contested title race.

Sources: Mail Sport, Premier League (KMI panel reporting)