5 of 9 wrong VAR votes out of possible 420 were Newcastle – Premier League Key Match Incidents panel | OneFootball

The Premier League Independent Key Match Incidents (KMI) Panel is in the news once again.

The KMI panel has five members, made up of three former players and/or coaches, plus one representative each from the Premier League and PGMOL.

It was set up at the start of the 2022/23 season to give an independent assessment of decision-making rather than relying on the views of PGMOL or the clubs themselves.

The judgement is intended to provide an arm’s-length assessment of all major match incidents but gives weight to the decision of the referee in subjective situations, taking into account the laws of the game and the Premier League’s interpretation.

Anyway, the Premier League Independent Key Match Incidents (KMI) Panel are making headlines again, this time regarding when Chris Kavanagh hilariously sent off Declan Rice in Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Brighton on 31 August, just before the international break.

Arsenal and their fans embarrassing themselves yet again, crying on after the decision correctly went against them.

Anyway, ESPN have seen the Premier League KMI panel verdict and they say that all five members have voted that the referee got that decision right! That no amount of crying from Arsenal and their fans changes the fact that Rice’s own stupidity earned him correctly a second yellow card in the game, meaning a red.

ESPN quoting from the panel report that they have has sight of, ‘Rice knows what he’s doing, it’s a gentle touch but once the referee sees it, he has no choice… the actions of Rice were clear, deliberate and impactful. Therefore, the referee was correct to send Rice off for a second caution for delaying the restart.”

Of more local (Newcastle United) interest, ESPN report that in the first three rounds of Premier League matches this season so far, 84 key match incidents have been looked at by the VAR.

This means a total of 420 (84 incidents x 5 panel members) votes have been cast on whether VAR made a mistake or not.

Out of a possible 420, only 9 votes have said the VAR made a mistake.

Five of those nine involve Newcastle United! All in the same incident!!

VAR Tim Robinson (Correctly!!!) intervened to disallow Dango Ouattara’s injury time “winner” for handball in Newcastle’s away game against Bournemouth 17 days ago and all five Premier League KMI panel members voted that the VAR made a mistake on that occasion. With only four of the other 415 votes cast by the panel believing a mistake had been made in any other match by the referee/VAR.

Of course, ten months ago we had a classic example of Arsenal and their fans unable to take any decision that goes against them, without crying on.

Anthony Gordon scored the winner at St James’ Park in November 2023 and back then the Premier League KMI panel voted 4-1 that the decision was correct to allow the goal.

In that same game, all five panel members voted that a massive mistake had been made, that Havertz should have been sent off for his shocking cowardly challenge on Sean Longstaff.

Whilst as for Bruno catching Jorgino’s head with his arm as he ran, the panel ruled by 3-2 that Bruno should have been sent off.