Brighton & Hove Albion were denied a penalty during their 1-0 home defeat to Arsenal on 4 March. The Premier League Key Match Incidents (KMI) Panel ruled that the officials made an error by not penalising a foul in the area. According to Sky Sports, the independent panel determined that the VAR should have intervened to overturn the original on-field decision.
All five members of the panel agreed that a foul occurred, per The Guardian. The panel noted that the Arsenal defender's challenge met the threshold for a penalty. The decision had a significant impact on the match as Brighton eventually lost the game by a single goal.
This ruling follows a series of reviews into officiating standards during the 2025-26 season. The KMI Panel meets weekly to assess significant refereeing decisions and provide transparency regarding VAR usage. Despite the findings, the match result remains unchanged. Arsenal continues its campaign at the top end of the table while Brighton remains in the mid-table positions.
