A Premier League panel has ruled that the penalty awarded to Sunderland against Arsenal earlier this month was an incorrect decision. The independent Key Match Incidents panel unanimously disagreed with referee John Brooks's call that Ezri Konsa fouled Dan Ballard during the match on September 12, a game Arsenal went on to win 2-0.
The five-person group gave its full backing to the on-field decision not to award a penalty. They also gave a majority 3-2 backing to VAR official Stuart Attwell's choice not to intervene and overturn the call. David Raya saved the resulting spot-kick from Enzo Le Fee, preserving the clean sheet in a victory that helped Arsenal maintain their strong early-season form.
Mikel Arteta was furious after the match. "At this level with all the work we put in, this cannot happen," the Arsenal manager said. He described the overall standard of officiating that day as "not acceptable".
The panel's findings, released this week, provide official validation for Arteta's complaints. The decision came during a 2-0 away win, part of a run that has seen Arsenal collect 12 points from their first five games to sit second in the table. Their next challenge is a home match against fifth-placed Leeds United on October 10.
In the same round of assessments, the group also concluded that Erling Haaland's winning goal for Manchester City in the derby against Manchester United should have been disallowed for offside. They also supported the decision to send off Phil Foden in that match for kicking out at Bruno Fernandes. These rulings are part of the league's regular review process to maintain consistency in key match decisions.
For Arsenal, the vindication comes after a 3-0 defeat away to Brighton in their most recent outing. The team will look to return to winning ways after the international break, with all the upcoming fixtures available to view. The squad, currently led in goals by Bukayo Saka with three, will be aiming to close the three-point gap to leaders Manchester City when domestic action resumes.
More detail at espn.com
