Premier League VAR Controversy Grows as Error Count Hits 23
Last update: May 15, 2026
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VAR drama isn’t slowing down in the Premier League — and the latest review has only added more fuel to the fire.
According to a report by cbinews.tv, the Premier League’s Key Match Incidents (KMI) panel has confirmed three more VAR mistakes, pushing the total number of errors this season to 23.
That’s a 35% rise compared to the same stage last season, when 17 errors were recorded — although it’s still slightly better than the 30 errors seen at this point in the 2023–24 campaign.
Penalty decisions at the centre of controversy
The panel revealed that all three newly identified mistakes involved penalty incidents, with two of them coming from missed holding offences that should have been punished.
One of the most debated moments came during Everton’s thrilling 3-3 draw with Manchester City. Everton were denied a penalty after Bernardo Silva was seen holding midfielder Merlin Rohl during a corner.
On-field referee Michael Oliver missed the incident, while VAR official Paul Howard decided it couldn’t be reviewed, claiming the holding occurred before the corner was taken.
Everton boss David Moyes was visibly frustrated after the match, saying:
“If that doesn’t get given as a penalty, then it’s an absolute free-for-all from now on.”
However, the KMI panel disagreed completely, ruling unanimously that VAR got it wrong. Their statement was clear:
“There is a clear, sustained holding offence which continues as the corner is taken and the ball comes into play.”
The decision proved costly for Everton, as Manchester City later snatched a dramatic equaliser through Jeremy Doku deep into stoppage time.
Interestingly, the panel also noted this was the third time Everton have been denied a penalty by VAR this season, following similar incidents against Arsenal and West Ham.
Bournemouth penalty also overturned
In another case, Bournemouth’s penalty in their 3-0 win over Crystal Palace was ruled incorrect and should not have stood.
Marcos Senesi went down under what the panel described as minimal contact from goalkeeper Dean Henderson, yet the spot-kick was awarded and VAR backed the decision.
The KMI panel again delivered a unanimous verdict, stating VAR should have intervened and recommended a review instead of supporting the on-field call.
Growing VAR debate continues
With errors rising again, scrutiny over VAR consistency in the Premier League is only intensifying, as fans and clubs continue to question decision-making standards week after week.
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