The Premier League’s Key Match Incidents (KMI) panel has confirmed three additional video assistant referee (VAR) errors, taking the total number of mistakes this season to 23.
The latest findings represent a 35% increase compared to the same stage of last season, when 17 errors were recorded.
However, the figure remains lower than the 30 errors logged at this point in the 2023–24 campaign.
According to the panel on Friday, three of the newly identified errors involved penalty decisions, including two cases of holding offences that were not correctly sanctioned.
One of the most controversial incidents came in Everton’s 3-3 draw against Manchester City at Hill Dickinson Stadium, where the Toffees were denied a penalty after Bernardo Silva held back midfielder Merlin Rohl during a corner.
Referee Michael Oliver did not spot the incident, while VAR official Paul Howard judged that the holding occurred before the corner was taken and therefore could not be reviewed.
Everton manager David Moyes was left furious 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 unanimously rejected the VAR interpretation, stating, “There is a clear, sustained holding offence which continues as the corner is taken and the ball comes into play.”
The decision proved costly, as Manchester City went on to equalise deep into stoppage time through Jeremy Doku to secure a 3-3 draw.
The panel also noted that this is the third time Everton have been denied a penalty via VAR this season, following similar incidents in defeats to Arsenal and West Ham United.
In a separate incident, the panel ruled that a penalty awarded to Bournemouth in their 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace should have been overturned.
Marcos Senesi went down under minimal contact from goalkeeper Dean Henderson, but referee Rob Jones awarded the spot-kick and VAR Peter Bankes upheld the decision.
The KMI panel was again unanimous, concluding, “Henderson drops the ball, reaches for it and Senesi goes down under very minimal contact from the goalkeeper. The referee’s call of a penalty was incorrect and VAR should have intervened to recommend a review.”
The latest review adds to growing debate over VAR consistency and decision-making standards in the Premier League this season.
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