Sunderland’s disputed penalty against Arsenal was wrong, says KMI panel

Arsenal's Ezri Konsa, left, reacts with teammates after referee John Brooks awards a penalty to Sunderland. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta’s anger over a penalty awarded to Sunderland earlier this ​month was partly vindicated after the Premier League’s ‌independent review panel concluded the spot kick ​should not have been given.

The league’s ⁠five-member Key Match Incidents (KMI) Panel unanimously ruled that referee John Brooks made the wrong on-field call when ‌he awarded Sunderland a penalty in Arsenal’s 2-0 win after defender Ezri Konsa ‌was judged to have fouled Dan Ballard ‌during ⁠a corner.

Arteta described the decision as “unacceptable” ⁠after the match, although Arsenal escaped unscathed when goalkeeper David Raya pushed Enzo Le Fee’s penalty onto the post ​in the 55th minute.

READ | Arteta rages at ’unacceptable’ penalty against Sunderland

“The ‌panel unanimously felt that the referee’s call of a penalty for a holding offence was incorrect,” the panel said in its report.

“Although ‌it was a very untidy challenge in ​which Konsa initially had arms around Ballard, Ballard engages in a holding action ⁠which pulls Konsa onto him so they both fall to the floor.”

However, the panel backed ‌VAR’s decision not to recommend an on-field review.

“The non-VAR intervention was supported, 3:2, with the majority considering that the on-field decision was not a clear and obvious error, given the combined actions from both players,” it said.

The KMI ‌Panel is an independent body comprising three former players ​or coaches, one Premier League representative and one representative from Pro Ref, the ⁠organisation responsible for refereeing in England.

The reigning champion ⁠Arsenal sits second in the Premier League standings after a 3-0 loss to Brighton & ‌Hove Albion on Saturday, and will host Leeds United on October 10 after the ​international break.