Premier League VAR errors up to 23 after three mistakes
SkimNews Take
Despite the technology's promise of objective review, the increasing count of VAR errors suggests human interpretation, rather than the system itself, remains the primary variable in officiating consistency.
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- Premier League's Key Match Incidents panel added three more VAR errors, raising the season total to 23, up from 17 at the same point last season but below 30 in 2023‑24.
- Everton were denied a penalty against Manchester City after Bernardo Silva held Merlin Rohl, a holding offence the panel unanimously said should have been reviewed.
- Bournemouth had a penalty awarded against Crystal Palace overturned when the panel judged Dean Henderson's minimal contact with Marcos Senesi insufficient for a foul.
- West Ham missed two spot‑kicks in a 3‑0 defeat to Brentford, with the panel concluding the VAR should have intervened for a clear non‑footballing action by Keane Lewis‑Potter on Tomas Soucek.
- KMI panel voted unanimously (5‑0) on both the Everton and Bournemouth decisions, indicating a consensus that VAR should have intervened in those cases.
Why it matters: Everton, Bournemouth and West Ham each lose chances due to denied penalties, while the Premier League’s VAR error count climbs to 23, highlighting ongoing officiating concerns.
