Getty | Ahmed Refaat
Mar 27, 2026 05:12+06:00
Four More Premier League Referee Errors Identified as Chelsea & Arsenal Matches Impacted
Premier League | Arsenal | Chelsea
The latest report from the Premier League's Key Match Incidents panel has confirmed that matches involving both Arsenal and Chelsea were impacted by officials failing to make the correct call on the pitch. While the league continues to grapple with the consistency of its refereeing, these latest findings suggest that even the division's biggest clubs are not immune to high-profile blunders.
Heavyweights Hit by Missed Penalty Calls
In Arsenal's recent outing against Everton, the panel determined that the Gunners should have been awarded a spot-kick when Michael Keane fouled Kai Havertz. Meanwhile, in a meeting between Chelsea and Newcastle at Stamford Bridge, the visitors were denied a clear opening when Blues defender Reece James pulled back Malick Thiaw inside the penalty area, but no spot-kick was given.
In both instances, the panel noted that while the on-field decision was wrong, the VAR was technically correct not to intervene based on the current threshold for overturning decisions.
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Wrong Red Card for Gudmundsson and Missed Brentford Penalty
Another error identified involved Leeds United’s Gabriel Gudmundsson, who was incorrectly shown a second yellow card during a clash with Crystal Palace. Under current Premier League rules, VAR is unable to intervene in second-yellow-card scenarios, leaving Leeds without recourse during the match. However, this protocol is set to change from next season.
A missed penalty call was also flagged from the Brentford versus Wolverhampton Wanderers match, where Kevin Schade was held by Wolves’ Andre.
As the independent five-person panel continues its assessments, the pressure remains on PGMOL to translate improved review times into better accuracy, as on-field reliability has remained stagnant at roughly 86% since the start of the previous campaign.
Data Reveals a Rise in Officiating Mistakes
The confirmation of these four new errors brings the total number of officiating mistakes this season to 54—a notable increase from the 44 incidents recorded at the same stage last year. The figure includes incorrect or missed VAR interventions, as well as on-field errors.
While the Professional Game Match Officials (PGMOL) maintain that the overall trend is positive compared to the 70 mistakes seen after 30 games in the 2023-24 campaign, the current numbers are cause for concern. Specifically, there have already been 18 VAR errors this season, matching the total for the entirety of last year with a significant portion of the schedule still to be played.
VAR Efficiency Shows Signs of Improvement
Despite the rise in total errors, the PGMOL has highlighted progress in the speed and application of technology. Delays caused by VAR reviews have improved by approximately 25% over the last three seasons. Average stoppage times have dropped from 64 seconds in 2023-24 to just 48 seconds this term.
The panel also observed that incorrect VAR reviews have decreased slightly, falling from four to three. Furthermore, total VAR interventions have dipped from 89 to 83, which the PGMOL suggests indicates better initial decision-making on the field and stricter adherence to the "high bar" for overturning calls.
Four Additional Premier League Refereeing Errors Uncovered, Affecting Chelsea and Arsenal Matches
