The Premier League has admitted that a VAR error occurred during Arsenal’s meeting with Aston Villa at Villa Park on Tuesday, September 1, 2026.
Arsenal eventually secured victory thanks to Bukayo Saka’s second-half goal. However, the result could have included another major moment after the Gunners were denied what the independent Key Match Incident (KMI) Panel later judged to be a clear penalty during stoppage time.
The controversial incident involved Aston Villa defender Ian Maatsen and Arsenal midfielder Bruno Guimaraes.
Maatsen attempted to stop Guimaraes with a tackle but failed to make contact with the ball. Referee Jarred Gillett decided against awarding a penalty, while VAR, led by James Bell, reviewed the incident and allowed the original decision to stand.
The Premier League has since acknowledged that the threshold for VAR intervention had actually been met in this particular situation.
Arsenal’s Penalty Appeal Was Rejected
The incident happened late in the match when Maatsen challenged Guimaraes inside the relevant area.
Maatsen failed to touch the ball with his tackle and instead made clear contact with Guimaraes’ supporting foot.
Despite the challenge, referee Jarred Gillett did not award Arsenal a penalty.
The decision was then reviewed by VAR, with James Bell overseeing the process. However, the on-field decision was maintained and Arsenal were not given the opportunity to take a spot kick.
At the time, the decision meant Arsenal had to continue without a penalty despite the challenge occurring during a crucial stage of the match.
The later review by the KMI Panel produced a different assessment.
KMI Panel Says Arsenal Should Have Had a Penalty
The Key Match Incident Panel independently reviews significant refereeing decisions from Premier League matches.
In its assessment of the incident, the panel concluded that Arsenal should have been awarded a penalty.
The panel also determined that Maatsen was deserving of a red card because the challenge should have resulted in a second yellow card.
“Panel menilai penalti seharusnya diberikan di lapangan atas tekel ceroboh Maatsen terhadap Guimaraes,” the panel stated.
Its assessment focused on two important details from the challenge.
First, there was clear contact with Guimaraes’ supporting foot. Second, Maatsen did not make contact with the ball during the tackle.
Based on those factors, the KMI Panel believed the decision on the pitch was incorrect and that VAR should have intervened.
Why the KMI Panel Believed VAR Should Have Intervened
VAR is not designed to review every subjective decision made by a referee.
One of the fundamental principles behind its use is that intervention should only happen when the evidence reaches a high threshold.
That means VAR is generally expected to stay out of decisions where reasonable disagreement remains possible.
However, the KMI Panel concluded that the incident involving Maatsen and Guimaraes crossed that threshold.
According to the panel, the failure to award a penalty represented a clear and obvious error.
The challenge was considered careless because Maatsen made contact with Guimaraes’ supporting foot without winning the ball.
As a result, the panel believed the VAR team should have recommended that Gillett conduct an on-field review.
That would have given the referee another opportunity to assess the tackle using the available video evidence.
Premier League Explains the VAR Threshold
The Premier League subsequently explained the principles behind the VAR decision.
The league emphasized that VAR operates with a high threshold for intervention. Its purpose is not to restart the entire decision-making process every time a referee makes a subjective call.
Instead, intervention is intended for situations where there is sufficient evidence that a clear error has occurred.
The high threshold is also designed to promote consistency in the way VAR is used throughout Premier League matches.
However, the Premier League acknowledged that the threshold had been met in the Maatsen incident.
In other words, while the principle of allowing referees’ subjective decisions to stand remains important, this particular decision should have triggered a VAR recommendation for an on-field review.
Maatsen Could Also Have Been Sent Off
The controversy did not end with the penalty decision.
The KMI Panel also concluded that Maatsen deserved a second yellow card for the tackle on Guimaraes.
That would have resulted in a red card and Aston Villa playing with 10 men.
The panel characterized the challenge as careless and believed it warranted a second booking.
However, Premier League clarified that even if VAR had recommended an on-field review, Gillett would still have retained the authority to decide the appropriate disciplinary action.
One possible outcome would have been a second yellow card for Maatsen.
Therefore, the VAR intervention would not automatically have meant a red card. It would simply have given the referee the opportunity to reassess the incident with the benefit of the video review.
What the Premier League Admission Means for Arsenal
The Premier League’s explanation confirms that Arsenal were on the wrong side of an important VAR decision against Aston Villa.
The Gunners ultimately won the match through Saka’s second-half goal, but the late penalty incident remains significant because the independent review found that the original decision should have been changed.
The key conclusions from the review are:
- Arsenal should have been awarded a penalty.
- Maatsen did not make contact with the ball during the tackle.
- There was clear contact with Guimaraes’ supporting foot.
- VAR should have recommended an on-field review.
- The challenge was considered worthy of a second yellow card.
- A second yellow card could have resulted in Maatsen being sent off.
- The referee would still have retained the final decision after an on-field review.
For Arsenal, the admission provides official recognition that the penalty decision was incorrect.
VAR Debate Continues in the Premier League
The incident involving Arsenal and Aston Villa is another example of the difficult balance between referee authority and VAR intervention.
The Premier League’s high threshold exists to prevent excessive interruptions and avoid turning every refereeing decision into a lengthy video review.
At the same time, the Maatsen-Guimaraes incident demonstrates why the threshold matters. The league itself has now acknowledged that the standard for intervention was met.
Arsenal can take satisfaction from securing the victory at Villa Park, but the late VAR controversy will remain part of the discussion surrounding the match.
For Premier League officials, meanwhile, the incident offers another important example of how VAR decisions are assessed after the final whistle.
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