Premier League Panel Upholds Man Utd Goal, Says Arsenal Missed Penalty
Manchester United’s disputed goal against Ipswich has been upheld by the Premier League’s Key Match Incidents panel, while Arsenal were judged to have been wrongly denied a penalty against Aston Villa.
United goal passes handball review
The panel backed the decision to allow United’s goal in their 5-2 victory over Ipswich on August 30, despite the ball appearing to strike Harry Maguire’s hand as he brought it under control outside the area.
Maguire then struck an effort that was heading wide before Ipswich defender Jacob Greaves diverted it into his own net. Referee Craig Pawson and VAR official Jarred Gillett treated the contact as accidental, with the goal standing because Maguire was not credited as the scorer.
In its vote, the panel supported the original decision by four votes to one. It concluded that Maguire’s arms were close to his body and that the touch on his right arm was not a punishable offence. One member believed the handball had been deliberate.
The VAR’s reasoning at the time was that the finish was an own goal and that an accidental handball by a player who did not score directly should not lead to the goal being ruled out.
Arsenal should have had Maatsen penalty
The panel unanimously decided that Arsenal should have been given a penalty in their August 31 match at Aston Villa after Ian Maatsen challenged Bruno Guimarães.
No foul was awarded during the game, but the review found Maatsen made clear contact with the attacker’s standing leg without getting the ball. The incident was considered serious enough for VAR to step in, with the panel judging the no-penalty call to be a clear and obvious mistake.
- Maatsen’s challenge was also viewed as reckless.
- The panel believed it warranted a second yellow card.
- The penalty should have been awarded either by the referee immediately or following a VAR review.
Other penalty calls split the panel
Two further spot-kick decisions from the second match round drew disagreement, although neither was considered sufficiently wrong for VAR to overturn the referee.
- At Liverpool on August 29, the panel voted 3-2 against the penalty given to Nottingham Forest after Alisson Becker challenged Neco Williams. However, it accepted that the decision did not reach VAR’s intervention threshold.
- At Leeds on the same day, a 4-1 majority believed Brentford should have received a penalty when Jayden Bogle challenged Kevin Schade. Again, the group felt the on-field call was not a clear and obvious error for VAR purposes.
What happens next
The KMI panel reviewed 21 major incidents across the second Premier League match round. It rated 76% of decisions as correct on the pitch, rising to 90% once VAR interventions were included.
The independent body includes three former players or coaches, plus one Premier League representative and one member from Pro Ref. Its weekly findings are being made public for the first time this season.
