By Anamati Inyang
December 31, 2025
The Premier League has acknowledged that Everton were wrongly denied a penalty in their 1-0 defeat to Arsenal on December 20, following a review by its Key Match Incidents (KMI) Panel.
According to a report by BBC Sport on Wednesday, the incident occurred in the 57th minute at the Hill Dickinson Stadium when Arsenal defender William Saliba challenged Everton forward Thierno Barry inside the penalty area. Barry appeared to reach the ball first before his boot was caught by Saliba, leading to strong appeals from Everton players and supporters.
After reviewing the footage, the five-member KMI Panel ruled by a 3-2 majority that referee Sam Barrott had made an incorrect decision by allowing play to continue.
The panel also voted 3-2 that VAR official Michael Salisbury should have advised the referee to conduct an on-field review.
Three members of the panel concluded that Saliba had kicked Barry without making contact with the ball, describing the action as careless and warranting a penalty.
However, two panellists disagreed, arguing that the contact was minimal and that Barry’s reaction came too late to justify awarding a spot kick.
Everton manager David Moyes voiced his displeasure over what he described as inconsistent officiating standards. He referenced a penalty awarded to Fulham against Nottingham Forest two days later, a decision that the same panel unanimously upheld.
“I was half-choking when I saw the Fulham decision given and ours wasn’t,” Moyes said. “It sometimes feels like certain clubs get those calls, while others don’t.”
Each KMI Panel is made up of five members, including three former players or coaches, one Premier League representative and one official from the Professional Game Match Officials Limited.
The ruling has once again brought attention to concerns around refereeing consistency, even as the Premier League maintains that the KMI review process is part of broader efforts to improve transparency and fairness across the competition.
