Premier League panel say Leeds should have had penalty in 1-0 loss to Sunderland | OneFootball

A Premier League review panel has judged that Leeds United should have been awarded an early penalty during their 1-0 home defeat by Sunderland earlier this month.

According to Sunderland Echo, the Key Match Incidents panel ruled referee Stuart Attwell ought to have given the spot-kick and that VAR official Paul Tierney should have intervened.

The incident came from a 16th-minute corner at Elland Road on 3 March, with the game goalless, as Luke O’Nien grappled with Pascal Struijk. The report said O’Nien was not looking at the ball and had his arms around the Leeds defender, preventing him from attacking it. The panel unanimously concluded the hosts should have had a penalty.

Leeds head coach Daniel Farke was forthright afterwards, calling it a clear decision and questioning why VAR did not step in. He suggested Attwell would have awarded it on review, while noting it is harder for the on-field referee to spot.

Sunderland later won it with a 70th-minute penalty after Leeds captain Ethan Ampadu was penalised for handball, a decision upheld following a VAR check. The KMI panel supported that call in a 5-0 vote, concluding Ampadu made a secondary movement with his arm that diverted the ball.

Source: Sunderland Echo