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In Arsenal's only loss of the season, the VAR team made a crucial error that helped change the game in Manchester United's favour
The disallowed goal scored by Gabriel Martinelli for Arsenal in their eventual 3-1 loss to Manchester United has been tagged as one of six erroneous video assistant referee interventions in the opening half of the 2022/23 English Premier League season.
Martinelli thought he had given Arsenal the lead against Manchester United in their September fixture at Old Trafford, but referee Mike Dean was advised by VAR to overrule the goal for a foul by Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard on Manchester United’s Christian Eriksen in the build-up to the goal.
Martinelli’s goal should have stood
Now that decision has come up in an investigation by the Key Match Incident Panel into VAR activities in the first part of the season and has been highlighted as one of six errors made by the VAR team in the Premier League.
Had Martinelli’s goal been allowed to stand, the outcome would have been markedly different, which understandably left manager Mikel Arteta frustrated after what is now Arsenal’s only loss of the season in the league.
Other VAR errors this season
Other incidents that were deemed VAR errors by the panel include the decision to rule out West Ham’s equaliser against Chelsea in their 2-1 loss. In that game, Maxwell Cornet’s equaliser was ruled out after what VAR deemed to be a foul by Jarrod Bowen on Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
Brentford’s penalty against Nottingham Forest, which was given for a foul by Dean Henderson on Yoane Wissa was also deemed incorrect, as was Douglas Luiz’ red card for violent conduct against Fulham. Other errors include Tyrick Mitchell’s own goal against Fulham, which was ruled out for a foul by Alexander Mitrovic, and a penalty for Crystal Palace against Aston Villa, which was given for a handball by Lucas Digne.
Correct VAR decisions vs Incorrect VAR decisions
Asides the six obvious errors, the KMI panel also identified 16 other incidents in the opening 160 matches of the season that warranted VAR intervention but did not get any.
It was not all terrible though, and the men in the VAR room can pat themselves on the back for 42 correct decisions made after VAR intervention in the Premier League this season.
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