Premier League explains why Arsenal was not given penalty against Everton

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·16 March 2026

Premier League explains why Arsenal was not given penalty against Everton

Arsenal believed they should have been awarded a penalty during their match against Everton after Kai Havertz appeared to have his leg clipped by Michael Keane inside the penalty area.

The referee allowed play to continue, a decision that immediately drew reactions from Arsenal’s players and supporters. Many expected the Video Assistant Referee to intervene by either sending the referee to the pitch side monitor or recommending that a penalty be awarded.

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However, no such intervention occurred, and the match continued without a spot kick being given. The decision left many Arsenal supporters frustrated at the time, particularly given the importance of the fixture.

Premier League Explains Decision

Following the incident, an explanation was provided regarding the decision not to award a penalty. As reported by the Metro, the Premier League clarified the reasoning behind the call.

They explained: “The referee’s call of no penalty to Arsenal was checked and confirmed by VAR, with the contact from Keane on Havertz deemed to be minimal.”

The statement indicates that the incident was reviewed by VAR officials, who concluded that the level of contact between the players was not sufficient to justify overturning the referee’s on-field decision.

Arsenal Move On From Controversy

Over the past few seasons, including the current campaign, some Arsenal supporters have felt that certain decisions have gone against their team. These moments have occasionally led to claims that the club has been treated unfairly during key matches.

In this particular situation, however, the contact between Havertz and Keane did not appear to be especially significant, which may explain why VAR chose not to intervene.

Despite the disappointment surrounding the decision, Arsenal ultimately managed to secure the result they needed. The team will likely take encouragement from the fact that they were able to find a way to win the match even without the penalty being awarded.

Moving forward, the focus will remain on maintaining their winning momentum and continuing to create and convert chances from open play, where the team has greater control over the outcome.

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