Everton should have been awarded a penalty in their 1-0 defeat by Arsenal on 20 December, according to the Premier League’s Key Match Incidents (KMI) Panel.
As reported by BBC Sport on Wednesday, the controversial moment came in the 57th minute at the Hill Dickinson Stadium when Arsenal defender William Saliba and Everton striker Thierno Barry clashed inside the penalty area. Barry reached the ball first, but his boot was kicked by Saliba, prompting calls for a penalty.
After reviewing the incident, the five-member KMI Panel voted 3-2 that referee Sam Barrott had made an incorrect decision by not awarding the spot-kick. The panel also voted 3-2 that VAR Michael Salisbury should have referred the match official to the monitor to review the play.
Three panel members noted “Saliba carelessly kicks Barry with no contact on the ball,” and they felt it was a clear and obvious error.
Two panellists supported the no-penalty call because “there was not enough impact and a delayed reaction.
Everton manager David Moyes expressed frustration at the inconsistency in refereeing decisions, citing a penalty given to Fulham against Nottingham Forest two days later, which the panel unanimously confirmed.
“I was half-choking last night when I saw the decision given [to Fulham], and ours wasn’t,” Moyes said. “It feels as though certain clubs get those decisions and other clubs don’t.”
Each KMI Panel consists of five members: three former players or coaches, one representative from the Premier League, and one from the Professional Game Match Officials.
The panel’s ruling highlights the Premier League’s ongoing efforts to ensure fairness and consistency in officiating decisions across all matches.
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