Panel rules Sunderland penalty vs Arsenal was wrong

A Premier League panel has unanimously ruled Sunderland should not have had a penalty against Arsenal, reigniting fury over officiating.

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What happened. The Premier League's Key Match Incidents panel unanimously ruled Sunderland were wrongly awarded a penalty against Arsenal on September 12, when Ezri Konsa was penalised for a tussle with Dan Ballard. The panel gave majority backing to VAR's decision not to intervene.

• Mikel Arteta called the decision 'not acceptable' and demanded an explanation from Pro Ref.
• The panel said Ballard's holding action pulled Konsa onto him, causing both to fall.
• It came 10 days after Pro Ref apologised to Manchester United over an offside call.

“At this level with all the work we put in, this cannot happen.”

— Mikel Arteta

The ruling adds pressure on Premier League officiating after a second high-profile error in 10 days.

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SunderlandArsenalMikel ArtetaManchester United

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