Arsenal told VAR decision was wrong as Premier League confirm big title race mistake

Mikel Arteta's Arsenal have been informed that Everton should have been awarded a penalty in their recent 3-3 draw with Manchester City, after Bernardo Silva dragged Toffees star Merlin Rohl to the ground. The incident went unnoticed by referee Michael Oliver, and VAR official Paul Howard ruled it had taken place before the corner was taken, meaning he was unable to intervene.

However, the Premier League's Key Match Incidents panel believes the Toffees should have been handed a spot-kick, at a point when David Moyes' side were leading 3-2. City battled back to claim a share of the spoils courtesy of a Jeremy Doku equaliser. While City's stumble allowed the Gunners to reclaim top spot, the draw leaves Pep Guardiola's men just two points behind Arsenal, rather than three, which could be decisive in who eventually wins the league.

Arteta's men can restore that five-point advantage over City with victory against already relegated Burnley on Monday night, with City occupied in FA Cup action against Chelsea. They are then due to face Bournemouth on Tuesday night in their penultimate fixture of the season, when they would need to win if Arsenal beat the Clarets. Any other result would hand the north Londoners the title.

Moyes was left incensed by the decision not to award a penalty, and said at the time: "If that doesn't get given as a penalty, then it's an absolute free-for-all from now on."

All five members of the panel sided with the Toffees boss, ruling: "There is a clear, sustained holding offence which continues as the corner is taken and the ball comes into play." The panel is made up of five members: one from the Premier League, one from PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) and three former players or coaches.

A string of contentious VAR decisions have recently shaken the title race, with West Ham United having a late equaliser against Arsenal disallowed for a foul on goalkeeper David Raya, despite numerous players jostling in the box.

The acknowledgement of error in the Everton vs City fixture brings the total number of VAR mistakes to 23 for the campaign, and marks the third occasion the Toffees have been denied a penalty following a review - one coming in a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal and another in a 2-1 loss to West Ham United.

The incident during the defeat to the Hammers left Moyes incensed, after the ball struck the hand of West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes inside the box as he wrestled with Thierno Barry. "I'm a bit surprised," he said. "I've been to see them (the officials) and VAR are saying it was grappling – well, the boy marking him was grappling. He punched the ball. I'm amazed they haven't given it."

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Everton v Manchester City - Premier League

Bernardo Silva was fortunate not to give away a penalty at Everton (Image: Getty)

Speaking on Match Officials Mic'd Up, PGMOL chief Howard Webb said: "Interesting situation, this one. I'm with you. From the outset, I want to say we think a penalty should've been awarded here against Fernandes. However, I don't think he really meant to deliberately handle the ball.

"But most penalties that are given where there's no intent to handle the ball are when players make themselves unnaturally bigger. They take a risk by putting their arm out to maybe block a shot or a cross, and they know that if the ball does hit their arm or their hand in that position, then they're going to pay the price for that.

"He doesn't make himself unnaturally bigger here. He moves his arm forward. I think he's probably trying to prevent the attacker from turning him. But in doing that, he kind of bats the ball away.

"He can't even see the ball, but Fernandes knows more or less where the ball is, and it's a deliberate action with his arm, probably not to handle the ball, but to do something. And therefore, I think we've given Fernandes way too much benefit of the doubt here.

"Looking really quite technically at it, I think the game just expects a penalty in this situation. We have to fall in line with what the game expects, the understanding of what the game expects, and I think in this situation, a penalty would've been the right outcome and let Fernandes explain what he was trying to do rather than us trying to explain why we decided not to intervene!"