Sunderland’s penalty against Arsenal was wrongly awarded: KMI

Sunderland’s penalty against Arsenal was wrongly awarded, according to the Premier League’s Key Match Incidents (KMI) panel. However, a majority of the panel members said VAR was right not to intervene.

The penalty was awarded in the 54th minute of the September 12 match after Arsenal defender Ezri Konsa was judged to have held Sunderland’s Dan Ballard.

Sunderland’s Enzo Le Fée missed the spot-kick, with Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya making the save. Arsenal won the match 2-0.

The five-member KMI panel unanimously ruled the penalty decision was incorrect, saying both players had held each other before falling.

Three members, however, agreed that VAR’s decision not to intervene was correct as the incident was not a clear and obvious error.

-AJM