The Premier League Independent Key Match Incidents Panel reached a final decision on the referee and the VAR ruling that awarded Newcastle United’s goal against Arsenal at St. James’ Park.
After three different VAR reviews, Anthony Gordon’s game-winning goal was affirmed, which infuriated Mikel Arteta.
Before Gordon’s close-range goal, three incidences were reviewed by VAR; the ball being out of play, Joelinton’s foul on Gabriel, and offside against the goal scorer.
According to ESPN as cited by Football London, the 5-man panel decided that VAR’s ruling was valid, but the officials neglected to see two red card incidents.
The report stated the panel by a vote of 4-1, determined that “although Joelinton does have his hands on Gabriel, there isn’t enough to award a foul as Gabriel had made an action to play the ball before any contact”.
They also maintained the belief that there was insufficient evidence to overturn the verdict on the two factual offenses.
Nonetheless, the panel agreed unanimously that Kai Havertz ought to have been sent off for Arsenal for his careless challenge on Sean Longstaff in the 36th minute.
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According to the panel’s explanation, it was “a very dangerous challenge and the type of tackle that needs to be eradicated”.
On the basis of a 3-2 vote, the panelists also called Bruno Guimaraes’ elbow to Jorginho’s head in the 45th minute as a red card. Despite several football experts’ claims to the contrary, VAR determined that neither Havertz nor Guimaraes should have been sent off during the match.
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